F29Dwn?
by Th Ghst f Slss Frnc
Summary: They're getting off the island and everyone is ecstatic. Of course they are. Too bad they might have been better off staying on their island. Hopefully action-packed and suspenseful, with a little Romance on the side. LOST and Lord of the Flies flair.
1. Chapter 1: Charmed my

_A/N: Well, hi. This would be my....second time at trying to write a F29Dwn Fanfic. Woot. Anyway, the basic idea for this is to actually try and form Flight 29 Down into something past a kiddie show, squeeze in some LOST and Lord of the Flies goodness. Yeah, and maybe some "Peeps" and "Midnighters" too because I'm a Scott Westerfield fan. I would put this under Crossovers, but since none of the actual characters are used in this--EXCEPT FOR THE FLIGHT 29 DOWN PEOPLE--I figured I shouldn't, since everyone else was an OC. Including the little critters I came up with...._

_But, before I give away too many spoilers (for those of you who actually care), here's your Fanfic. Hope you like it. Leave a review if you feel like it._

_P.S. You can thank Beware of Dogs, aka Cujo, for helping me with this, along with Dally2. They were good at being betas, or whatever you'd like to call them. The walls I bounced my ideas off of? Of course, my morbid, little, psycho Cujo helped out with the creepier stuff that I have for later...._

_That I still haven't written up....whoops?_

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**CHAPTER ONE: Charmed my A**!**

Jackson's POV--

I winced, every _SINGLE _time our small, prop-engine plane hit turbulence. I grasped the pale tan leather seat arms tightly, my knuckles now bone-white in fear, sadly enough. I was probably going to leave half-moon shaped slashes in the leather.

Ian constantly moaning as we jostled around didn't help anything, either. Heck that was probably the worst thing. They'd strapped Ian down on a gurney in the FAR back of the plane, but his leg still hurt him when the plane jumped around. It made me sick to keep hearing his pained groans and grunts, and it bloody well freaked me out, too.

"Well, Hurricane Melissa sure seems to be a b*tch," Eric commented from his seat, across the aisle and next to Abby, who was staring out the window at the gun metal gray and charcoal-colored clouds--completely oblivious to the conversation in the plane itself.

"Eric!" Daley yelled quite loudly, giving him a reproachful look. She scowled at him, not exactly a pretty expression on her face. She didn't like the little weasel swearing in front of Lex.

I didn't like it either, but I winced at her high-pitched tone of voice. For whatever reason, I was getting a headache.

"What?" Eric asked her, slouching back in his seat and looking indifferent.

"Don't cuss in front of Lex," Daley snapped curtly, brushing some of her russet-colored hair out of her face, then placed her hands nervously back in her lap.

Her fingers were now tapping an anxious beat on her thighs, so I figured she was just nervous.

Oh, well. It wasn't _MY_ problem anymore. There were adults now. I didn't usually trust adults, but right now I didn't care. I was dog tired, exhausted, etc.--you couldn't use enough words to explain how I felt. Plus, like I'd said, I had a headache—a killer headache, too. It felt like someone was grasping my head on both sides and trying to push my skull in.

***

I started to relax, finally, feeling an odd sensation of calm fall over me. I was half way into a doze, feeling sleep claim me when I felt someone tapping on my shoulder.

I opened one eye a crack, looking up at the person who had just ripped me out of my peace and given me back a monster-sized headache.

"What?!" I asked my voice grating and snappish. Then, I realized it was Lex. "Oh, sorry," I said, feeling sort of embarrassed for biting the small boy's head off, pretty much.

"It's okay," Lex assured me, his gaze somewhat worried, though.

I shifted, trying to get comfortable. My neck tensed as pain flashed through my forehead. "So, what did you need?" I asked him, now wide awake.

"Nothing much….but the pilot keeps talking to someone on the radio," Lex replied slowly, looking curiously at the closed off cockpit with his almost pitch-black eyes. Now that he mentioned it I did hear the pilot's voice and the low garble of static.

"Who do you think he's talking to?" he asked him curiously.

"I don't know, but....for some reason we seem to be going in circles," Lex replied quickly, sounding _EXTREMELY _confused.

"When there's a hurricane coming, we're flying in circles?" I asked dubiously, looking towards the cockpit myself now. W-T-H?!

"We're out of the path of Hurricane Melissa now; this is just the outer storms." Lex explained slowly, and then titled his head to the side. "That doesn't mean we should stay here, though. We're wasting jet fuel," he added, biting his lip in worry.

***

Lex's POV--

It was so weird! I mean, even Jackson, who was always pretty calm, seemed slightly worried. His dull blue eyes were unusually bright with worry and his jaw was set, his whole face tense. We didn't want to crash _TWICE_ after all, so it wasn't too big of a deal that he was freaking out a little….

"Can we go and talk to the pilot?" Jackson asked me curiously, running one hand uneasily through his bronze-colored hair.

"No, it's not allowed. No passengers are supposed to go into the cockpit." I replied slowly, explaining it as I was thinking about it.

Jackson briefly shook his head a little, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Well, I guess let's just wait it out. If anything starts to happen....well, I bet you could get away with sneaking up there once. You're a kid--they'll just think you're cute and dumb and that you don't know that you're not supposed to." Jackson said, but I could tell he felt guilty about thinking up a plan that would include me in it. I didn't see why. I could do just as much as THEM, maybe more.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. I just wanted to talk with someone about it." I said, even though that wasn't the whole truth.

Oh, well. It didn't really matter too much, now did it....? I kept glancing nervously at the altimeter, anyway. Our speed and altitude weren't right....not for how we should have been flying....

***

Melissa's POV (20 minutes later)--

I was just relaxing in the seat I was in. I managed to get stuck next to....take a wild guess? Yes, Taylor….of all people....

Of course, right before we'd gotten rescued things had gotten better....but it was still seriously awkward. She had chosen to start talking about couture and all sorts of stuff about fashion and style I didn't know about or _CARE_ to know about, to break up the awkward silence.

"So, yeah, it was TERR-I-BLE! The girl totally looked like a mermaid OUT of water. It was awful, and the designer even used polyester! Polyester!" she ranted. I just felt confused. What the heck was she even talking about....? She was looking down at one of her old, out-of-date teen girl magazines (that I'd only tried to read once before realizing they were barely below Playboy when it came to having any worth whatsoever). I nodded, smiling weakly at her. Jeeez, this was so not what I wanted to do for hours at a time....

I couldn't WAIT until we got to Hawaii, so we could switch planes....

Then, maybe I could get a seat next to Jackson, or....Nathan. Either, or. Or anyone else. I wanted to sit next to Jackson and I knew Nathan wanted to sit next to Daley, but anyone would be better than Taylor and her blabber mouth.

Oh, wait. I take that back. Eric looked like he'd rather be doing anything then sitting next to Abby, who seemed to be currently mumbling to herself. She'd been acting really weird recently....like for the past hour or so....

Well, more bizarre than normal, at least.

I reached over the aisle and poked Eric in the arm. "Hey, what's up?" I asked him. He shrugged his narrow shoulders.

"Nothing much." he replied honestly, and then sighed with frustration.

"I can't wait to get home. And I'm never getting on a plane after this—never, ever. I'll DRIVE wherever I want to go....even if it takes days, I don't want to deal with this again." he ground out, his hands fidgeting against his arm rests as he snuck a peek at the cockpit.

"It freaks me out to know my life is in the hands of two people." he muttered, mostly to himself.

Great, we were all getting cabin fever....Eric never acted like that, never so nervous and serious….normally he'd just start cracking jokes or pulling pranks when he got antsy….

***

Jackson's POV--

I was now tapping my foot nervously, my leg twitching.

I had put in the ear buds to my mp3 player and I was currently listening to The Bravery. Which was more or less classic rock, and I only had one of their songs. I wasn't exactly positive I liked their sound or not. Plus, I'd listened to this song so many times I was starting to get annoyed with it.

But, I was trying to focus on the almost repetitive lyrics and not my pounding headache, yet I just couldn't. I finally turned the music off. The fast beat was making my headache worse, of course.

Sometimes, I just didn't think before I did something.

I looked around my seat, which squeaked noisily beneath me, hoping to talk with Melissa. She was sitting in the seats behind me, with Taylor directly behind me and her to my left. I had gotten the window seat, of course. Right now, the blind was down. I couldn't face the ugly, almost purple, black clouds that lurked just on the horizon. They were going away, but every silvery flash of lightning made me jump.

Turns out, anyway, Melissa was already talking avidly with Eric.

Eric seemed sort of serious, for once--fidgety, but serious. Obviously the fact they were in a plane, in a storm, _AGAIN_ was making them all seriously on edge.

I frowned a little, though. Why was she talking to him, anyway? It wasn't like they were friends, not really, and he'd blackmailed her so often on the island--treated her horribly in general. So why were they talking....? Jeeez, I was sure acting nosy, huh? That wasn't my usual….

"Hey, Jackson!" Taylor said, loudly.

I jumped at Taylor's high-pitched voice. "Hey...." I said slowly, looking sideways at the girl for a minute.

Her long, light blonde hair was hanging past her shoulders in tight, wild curls but her blue eyes were oddly dull, almost gray--not bright blue and excited-looking like they usually were. She had gotten her tan, like she'd wanted, too. Yes, he did remember that pointless comment for the fact it _HAD_ been so totally pointless. But, why I was noting everything about her....no clue why I was doing that....maybe I was that out of it from this headache....

"So, what are you doing?" she asked me, sounding quite hyper (or stir-crazy; either, or). "I'm reading a Seventeen magazine. It's boring, though, since it was published two months ago." she told me, not giving me a chance to respond and sounding just as excited as ever--even if it didn't reach her eyes (which was odd in my opinion).

"Well, I was listening to music." I stated calmly, now looking at Melissa again and the way she talked with Eric of all people. Her eyes were bright, shiny, and her hands were moving in quick gestures, backing up her words.

Why was she talking to him?!

Oh, cr*p. That sounded really bad. Like, I was possessive of her....she could talk with him, I just didn't have to like it, though. Okay, that still sounded possessive....

"Hey!" Taylor said loudly, almost yelling in my ear.

"What?!" I asked, my voice showing how surprised I was.

"I just asked you what song you were listening to and you totally spaced out." Taylor responded, arching one eyebrow at me--a look on her face that showed she was curious about why I had stopped listening to her.

"Um….well, I was listening to The Bravery's "Honest Mistake"." I stated.

She looked at me like I was crazy. "I thought you like rap music and screamo." she said, almost sounding accusing.

I almost rolled my eyes at her. She was so smart, yet she continued to act like a dumb*ss. Why was that? Wait....maybe I should just stop asking myself rhetorical questions.

"Well, I do like rap and hard rock. The Bravery is hard rock." I explained slowly. I pointedly didn't call hard rock screamo. That was just rude....

"No it isn't. It sounds like an '80s band and it looks like an '80s band. They wear, like, all black and leather....and, like, eyeliner. They look more emo than you!" Taylor responded.

I frowned. "I'm not emo. Emo is short for emotional and I'm not emotional." I said curtly. Plus, when the heck had she listened to The Bravery? Wait, why did I wonder--she must've hijacked my mp3 player again....

She just giggled. "I was just pulling your leg...." she said slowly, now sounding like she was talking to someone that was pretty dense. "You know, being sarcastic?"

I scowled at her. "I know what sarcasm is." I told her.

"Well, someone's in a bad mood...." she commented.

Melissa and Eric were still talking. I had the feeling this was going to be a looong trip....the last hour had already been stressful enough....

***

Daley's POV--

I frowned slightly, my fingers still tapping a nervous beat—now on the armrests which I was almost gripping for dear life between taps.

Something was wrong. I just felt it. I wasn't sure why I felt like that, but I did. I looked around hesitantly, to see if I could spot the problem. Some of my russet-colored hair fell in my eyes and I sighed, blowing it away. I should have never cut my hair, now it was always getting in my face....

Nathan and I were in the front, to the left and a little back from the thick, black velvet drape that kept the cockpit separate from the rest of the plane.

Nathan had the window seat, but he had put down the blind self-consciously, seeming almost nervous to look out at the darkening clouds.

Across from me, were Jackson and Lex.

Lex was in the seat closest to me, so I could reach out and hold his hand, if I wanted to (I had the faint feeling I'd planned it that way, subconsciously). Jackson was in the seat next to the window (his blind was also down) and he kept feeling his head, his movements careful and almost gentle, like his head was throbbing painfully—and, it probably was.

I grinned at him apologetically, even though I knew that he having a headache wasn't my fault. At least, I hoped it wasn't.

He just grimaced in response, eyes closing tightly as he leaned back in his chair—jaw muscles twitching as he kept his mouth closed forcefully.

Wow. Maybe he had a migraine, or something. It wasn't like him to show pain….

"What's up?" Nathan asked me, gently breaking me out of my categorizing the rest of the seating arrangements.

"Nothing, I was just making sure everything was okay," I replied quickly. He frowned a little, his brown eyes slightly worried. He kissed my forehead, surprising me, and then leaned back in his own seat, his tight brown curls bouncing on his head as he leaned back. I was immediately remembering calling him "Poodle Head" when we were in second grade. That almost brought a smile to my face, but my mouth stayed in a thin line.

"You're okay….there's nothing to worry about. Everyone else is okay, too." he murmured soothingly, taking one of my hands in his; gently prying me off of the leather armrest I was holding in a death grip.

I shook my head slightly. "Jackson has a headache," I stated, pointing at him.

Jackson noticed me pointing at him and looked at me with an expression that said "What?!"….well, his headache was definitely making him p….moody. I was trying to keep myself from swearing in front of Lex, just like Abby and Eric had started doing (Captain Russell also had a foul mouth, I bet you didn't see that one coming—yes, I am being sarcastic), well, you know, they hadn't stopped cussing in front of Lex, they just were cussing in front of Lex….unlike me.

So….basically….instead of thinking pissy I thought moody--which was odd, since I didn't really have to not think bad words, but I did anyway….maybe I was just going crazy. Because, I swear, I wasn't even this stressed on the island as I was being in this death trap of a plane. That probably showed how nuts I was going, because I really shouldn't be so stressed out—maybe I was starting to be claustrophobic....

Dang, I couldn't stop rambling. Even in my own mind. Wasn't that a sign of insanity? Okay, now I was being dramatic.

"Oh. Well, I'm sure he'll be fine," Nathan said, but I could tell his face was slightly troubled. I knew he was unsure of himself and I telling him he was wrong didn't really help anything.

"I know…. I just worry about them, you know? They're like my family, now--almost closer than my real one." I told him quietly, sighing softly as I eyed Lex discretely.

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked me quietly, his eyebrows rising up almost into his bushy mane of hair.

"I mean….well, Lex and I are close. But, my father and I aren't…. I love Lex's Mom, but she'll never be my Mom. We sort of b*tt heads." I explained quietly.

"Oh….that's no good. Not good at all." Nathan stated softly. He gently wrapped his arm around my shoulder, his mocha-colored skin stark against my white dress shirt, but it was dirty and stained from my time on the island….so, off-white dress shirt.

"Be very luck your family's so close." I warned him, leaning against him hesitantly.

"I am, trust me," he promised, "scout's honor."

I burst out laughing, unable to help myself—the stress suddenly gone at Nathan's happy-go-lucky nature got the best of me.

"Well, I'm lucky enough to even have a family, I guess....and such a great little bro...." I stated, glancing sideways at both Jackson and Lex.

***

Lex's POV--

I unbuckled my seatbelt and hesitantly got out of my seat, Daley and Jackson both shooting me odd looks. No one else seemed to notice me.

I kind of wanted to see the sky, see how bad the storm was and maybe try to tell how close we really were to the water. I walked down the aisle and poked Eric's shoulder.

"Can I come by?" I asked hesitantly. He shrugged, looking kind of annoyed at me for breaking up his conversation with Melissa.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," he muttered quietly, moving his long legs aside to let me pass by him. I looked out the window, Abby's window, the only one without the shade down--except Taylor's, which she kept opening and closing while looking bored out of her mind.

I didn't feel like dealing with her right now, she'd want to know what was happening. She was smarter than she acted.

"What?"

I looked down and saw Abby looking up at me, where I was almost leaned over her--staring almost hypnotized at the rolling clouds, or water. I couldn't decide if they were storm clouds or the rolling, frothy ocean I knew was roaring under us.

I saw lightning flash and I stepped back.

"Nothing, just looking out," I squeaked out.

Abby rolled her dark brown eyes. "Whatever. Just make it fast, Squirt."

I gulped. "Okay." I said, and then looked out for another minute.

She just sighed. Luckily, she wasn't mumbling to herself anymore--something that had freaked me out and unsettled me a lot. But, her eyes were kind of watery--like she'd been about to....cry?

I just shook myself, before going back--stalking down the aisle and back to my seat, next to Jackson. No way was Abby about to cry. She was _Abby_, after all.

***

Melissa's POV--

I let out a strangled sigh as the plane jerked around, jumping violently to the left. My hands were together in my lap, fingers intertwined so tightly that it was almost to the point that it hurt. Taylor had gone silent beside me, still looking down at the magazine, but blankly now, her face paled.

I heard Ian moan loudly and Jackson fidget in his seat, but other than that the plane was almost deathly quiet. I just stared ahead at Lex's tan leather headrest, not really seeing it and shaking a little.

"Mel? You all right?"

I turned my head to see Eric looking at me with a concerned look on his face, frowning a little with his hat covering one eye after the plane had jostled around. He still had that oddly serious feel to him, which freaked me out pretty badly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just scared." I said through my clenched teeth.

He nodded, in understanding, and then fixed his hat, so it laid properly on his head, covering up his messy, dirty blond hair.

"Good thing I'm charmed, right?" Eric asked finally, a familiar grin on his face even though the strain was still there.

I rolled my eyes. "I think the hat's lucky, Eric."

He shrugged his shoulders again, and then took his hat off before handing it to me. "There, then you wear it and nothing bad can happen to you then."

I blinked at him, but took the hat from him. "Um, okay then."

I placed it on my head and brushed some of my raven-colored hair off my shoulder.

"Better?" he asked.

"Not really, but thanks I guess." I replied hesitantly, still weirded out.

"Yeah, well, just don't lose it. I only have one lucky hat." he said, smirking at me as he leaned back in his seat, probably going to rest. Yep, there went the arm over his eyes. Huh.

Still, that was weird--real weird.

***

Jackson's POV--

I looked over my seat and blinked twice, seeing Melissa wearing Eric's tow-colored straw hat. What the heck?! I looked at Eric and saw he was all reclined on his chair, one arm draped lazily across his face to block out the lights. I almost growled. I had a headache and now Eric was....

Wait, why did I care what Eric did? If Mel wanted to wear his hat how was that my problem? Or, why should it upset me? Maybe I'd just finally convinced her I was a bad guy....?

But, Eric was hardly better--he was a schemer and he was always hurting her feelings. Maybe he wasn't as bad as me, but potentially....

Okay, I was probably just jealous. Yeah. That was just wonderful, right? A sudden surge of jealousy on top of a massive headache.

Dang, where did they keep aspirin around here?!

I sighed and unbuckled my seat belt. I slipped past Lex, who had returned to his seat after looking out Abby's window, and walked up to the front. I asked one of the ladies, whose purpose being on the plane I didn't know or care about, where I might find something to help with my headache.

She just smiled at me brightly, white teeth flashing oddly in the overhead lights, like I'd made her day (weirdo), and told me to go to the bathroom in the back of the plane. I shrugged and went on back, charging past the other seats.

I ripped open the mirror-covered door to the medicine cabinet over the sink, it swinging open hard enough it hit the wall kind of loudly. I winced, my head pounding now. I grabbed a bottle of aspirin before booking it back to my seat. I was about to squeeze back into the aisle again when the plane hit worse turbulence, making my feet almost come off the carpeted floor. I hissed quietly, trying to get into my seat as fast as possible.

Lex looked up at me with worry then brought his knees up to his chest, letting me get through.

I plopped down in my seat and buckled up quickly, feeling anxious. I opened the bottle and popped one of the pills, before dry swallowing it easily. Practice made perfect, unfortunately.

I stole a glance over at Mel again, seeing her doodling on a piece of paper with a red pen--drawing something I couldn't see. Huh. That hat was still on her head, cocked forward. I frowned. I wouldn't doubt that she'd get head-lice, or something. Eric almost never showered. Why else did everyone think the boys' tent had smelled so raunchy?

Oh, well. What could I do, honestly? If I told her to give it back she'd ask why, then what would I say? _I suddenly have the urge to protect you from all mankind because I'm hopelessly jealous of what I can't--shouldn't--have? _

That didn't even make sense to _me_.

***

Lex's POV--

I sighed quietly, looking between Jackson, who looked awful, his fists clenched and his teeth smashed together, like he was really hurting. I was pretty sure the average headache wouldn't get to Jackson that much, or even a migraine, so what was going on with him? I frowned a little, then he shot me a "what?" look, not exactly mean but he seemed just plain annoyed. I just shrugged and looked away, not wanting to get into a long conversation with him right now. I didn't exactly have time--well, sort of. I was busy looking between the altimeter and trying to figure out why the stats on it showed that we were flying lower and lower, and going slower, like we were landing and who the pilot was talking to.

All I made out was static, though, and maybe we were already landing in Hawaii? It was going to be a two-legged trip, but that didn't make any sense....we'd been flying in circles and we'd only been up in the air for a few hours.

There was no way.

I finally just heaved another sigh and just looked around. I saw Abby, now stoic and silent, and Eric lounging in his chair, dozing. I couldn't see Melissa or Taylor, since I was too short and I was buckled into my seat, but I could see Daley and Nathan.

Ugh. He had his arm wrapped around her. Eeew, eeew, eeew. I thought I was done with all the teenager drama, but I just realized I lived with Daley. I was going to have to spend time around her and her boyfriend, or whatever Nathan was to her, doing stuff. Like holding hands and kissing, or worse (what was worse I wasn't sure, but I heard other people talking about it a lot). I shuddered a little.

I did NOT need to think about that.

Note to self: stay away from Daley when Nathan was over....

Well, or spy and make sure Nathan didn't hurt her or anything. He wasn't a bad guy, but he was way too hands-on and easily excitable. He might, like, accidentally do it somehow.

***

Melissa's POV--

I hummed softly, just a mindless tune. I think I knew it, but I wasn't sure. Something on the radio at home--well, a month ago. I finished my drawing, just curling filigree in the shape of a lily, or some sort of flower--nothing really complex, just a doodle. Embarrassingly enough, it had Jackson's name worked into it. I felt like an immature twelve year old with a crush on some TV star. Oh, well....  
It wasn't like I could help it, I really liked Jackson. A lot.

I huffed quietly as Eric's hat fell into my eyes again. I shoved it back up on my head, and the static making my hair go a little frizzy. Ugh. But, it wasn't like I could give it back. It might hurt Eric's feelings, and I didn't want to do that.  
Oh, well, at least it was comfortable....somewhat comfortable, at least. Just, really loose on my head, too big for me in some way.

I glanced over at Taylor and saw her reading a book, which I hadn't seen her with before and had a title I didn't care to notice. It had small print and no pictures, but it was thin. I almost rolled my eyes. Well, at least she was actually reading. That was out of the ordinary, but at least it was....okay.  
At least she wasn't flirting with Jackson, again.

Suddenly, the plane lurched again and I just felt mad. Why weren't they flying it better? Ian was hurting because of it, and Captain Russell was mumbling something about World War Two, fairies, and dachshunds.  
I didn't want to know....

All I needed to know was the fact his fever had spiked up, very shortly after they'd gotten on the plane, which just added to their troubles. One of their rescuers, a younger black man with a buzz cut, was forced to restrain him, his arm muscles bunching as Captain Russell tried to make another dash for the cockpit.  
Jeez....  
How could this leg of the flight get any worse?

The next minute, I wished I hadn't tempted fate like that....

* * *

_R AND R?_

___Annnd...._

_______P.P.S. I was dared to make Jackson listen to MY music and for Lex to have slightly perverted thoughts. Sorry. *grins cheekily*_


	2. Chapter 2: Problems Yes, with an S

_A/N: Well, hello again. Here's the next chapter, which is a little shorter than the last one but without the fexcellent cliffie (well, I'm hoping it was "fexcellent" but I wouldn't know because WOODLAWNIAN forgot to review). Well, there is a "fool" cliffie at the end but you have to read it all to see. Mwahahaha. *chokes on spit* Okay, maybe I should do without the evil laugh....I might freak you poor people out...._

_Anyway, thanks to my awesome reviewers--fdwndwnaddict (I find your PenName oddly ironic now), Dally2 who helped with this Fanfic's flow by being my sorta beta, Sugar144, and Joucelin Hades (ya know, you made me think--I will have to explain that in the third chapter, but just know some weird things are going to happen--weirder things at least)._

_P.S. SPOILER ALERT--well, kind of. Even if there are going to be skeletons in this eventually (well, if I don't freak myself out to bad), no, this will not be like Clash of the Titans.... Now that they are making another movie for that I feel so old. I watched that when I was, like, six, after getting it from the library. Too bad no little kidies will be watching the new one....unless their parents are psycho (no offense to the friendly psychos of the world)._

_P.P.S. Sorry for rambling pointlessly just then, here's the next chapter. So sorry. I like to ramble. It's my hobby._

* * *

**Chapter 2: Problems—Yes, with an S**

Jackson's POV--

Suddenly, I felt the plane shift under me, through the seat I could feel the vibrations as the wind kicked up, rattling the wings almost, as the nose of the plane tipped down. I felt my stomach rise up to my throat--or at least, it felt like it--and I immediately hated the hollow feeling. Sometimes I wondered if whoever controlled my life had a sick sense of humor. There was a reason I hated roller coasters (not something I'd bring up, but oh so true) and now with my headache, _this _was happening.

Wait. What was _this_? Why were we flying lower? I gripped the arm rests, too frozen in my spot to look left and check out the altimeter. Lex had said the plane was flying unusually low and slowly, but I hadn't thought....

Were we....landing? Why would we be landing? That was stupid. The hurricane had passed, but horrible storms would be hitting these waters for days, probably.

And, where on earth could we be landing? The ocean?

Yes, because pilots love landing on rough waters where their planes can be snapped in half. What was _going on_ around here?!

I noticed Lex tense beside me, and I noticed Daley's worried expression just by finally looking over. I saw the altimeter and the readings seemed....off. I didn't know anything about planes, really, but I knew they weren't supposed to be flying that low. Well, I thought.

I wasn't very good with judging distances. I still didn't know exactly what the "stay two hundred feet" or whatever on those big garbage trucks actually meant. I didn't have a two hundred foot measuring tape in my pocket.

I sighed softly and just slumped in my chair, eyes closed. I was hoping and praying we weren't crashing again. The odds of living twice weren't very good. I felt Lex take my hand, after making a small whimper, but I didn't really care. He needed it, obviously, and I heard him shift so he could take Daley's hand, too, I figured.

Everything seemed oddly quiet, right before I heard a dull, muted thud in the distance. I opened my eyes and looked around, at Ian's pained face where he was in the back, Captain Russell's confused expression, Jory and Taylor's stunned, pale faces, Melissa's blank look, her big, doe-eyes wide with fear, her chest rising and falling quickly.

Lex shifted beside me, but I was focused on Mel too much to worry about anyone else. I heard Daley's confused, fast murmurs as she talked with Nathan, who sounded equally confused but calmer. I couldn't hear Abby and Eric talking, but....

They were obviously fine. Well, I supposed. I hoped.

I was kind of scared to look, honestly.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked Mel nervously, glancing over at her as I sat taller in my seat, twisting around awkwardly.

"Y-y-yeah," she stammered in response, still frozen in place.

"That's good," I said, sounding relieved to my own ears. "Taylor, are you all right?"

Taylor just nodded mutely, staring straight ahead. Maybe she wasn't too okay--emotionally. Physically she looked fine, unhurt. That was good.

"Everyone okay?" Daley asked loudly from the front of the plane, twisting around in her seat, bright blue eyes worried.

"Yeah, I'm good," Eric said shakily. The others responded to the questions in different variations of mumbles and mutters.

I finally looked over at him and saw him gripping the seat with one hand, feet braced against the seat in front of him, and holding Abby's hand.

Both of them seemed to be okay. Thank goodness....

We weren't sinking, though, so we must've landed on solid ground--again. Please tell me we hadn't just jumped from one island to the next....

Oddly enough, the cockpit was eerily quiet--no sound, not even the static, coming from up there....

Weird.

***

"I'm okay, Daley, I promise," Lex said, and I looked back. Daley was hugging him tight, having somehow managed to jump over and smother him in his seat.

I blinked. When had I missed that?

"Okay, if you say so," Daley said uncertainly, and released him.

I finally got up, then, after unbuckling my seatbelt and padded down the aisle of the plane, my shoes barely making a sound on the carpet.

Nathan seemed perfectly fine, leaning almost out of his seat as he kept an eye on Daley. I almost rolled my eyes. I stopped at Melissa's seat, and eyed both her and Taylor, making sure they were all right. They seemed fine. My frown went away, sort of, but my mouth stayed in a tight line. Mel smiled up at me warmly, but her expression was strained.

Why couldn't the pilot just keep the plane in the air and land in Hawaii as planned?! They didn't deserve this! Maybe I did, but it wasn't fair for them to be brought down with me, literally.

I finally looked away, turning until I faced Eric, who just stared at me blankly then just grimaced, trying to grin sarcastically (yes, he did manage to grin sarcastically--don't ask me how he did, though) but he was too tense to pull it off this once.

Abby, though, was looking out her opened window, not paying attention to me.

"We're on land, then?" I asked her softly, trying to gaze out, too, but not wanting to lean over Eric.

"Yes," she said her voice very weak.

I blinked. That didn't sound like her.

"Something wrong?" I asked quietly, looking at her--now concerned.

She turned to me, she was biting her lip and her eyes were pain-filled. Wait, what?

"Abby, what's wrong?" I asked her warily and she pointed down at her leg, where a bag had fallen when the plane had landed jerkily.

I let out a very small, inaudible gasp when I saw what she really was pointing at. The pocket-knife in the camp set had cut her leg, badly, somehow falling out of the bag. Oh, gah.

Eric noticed my gaze then blanched. "Oh, sh*t! Abby, your leg....it's gushing blood, or something!" he said incoherently, jumping back out of his seat.

I just slipped off my t-shirt and held it out to Abby. "Here, put this on your leg," I said quietly, knowing the bleeding needed to be stopped. I'd seen enough knife wounds to know that for her to be bleeding that much, from that size cut, the knife must've hit a vein.

"Okay," Abby whispered softly and put my balled up t-shirt on top of the wound.

"Put pressure on it, not too much, and lift your leg up," Lex said, having come up behind me.

I nodded in agreement and Abby slowly turned around, propping her leg up on the armrest between her and Eric's seat.

Eric still looked disgusted and mildly freaked out.

"That's just....nasty," he commented, looking anywhere but at Abby's leg, even though the wound was currently hidden under my t-shirt and no blood was seeping up, yet.

"Yeah, I know," Taylor said, then grabbed Eric's arm and pulled him away, her face just as chalky white.

I almost rolled my eyes, but I was too worried about Abby currently. Well, at least it hadn't been my knife, or I'd feel seriously guilty right now....

But, of course--Abby being hurt wasn't enough drama. One of the....ladies....whatever their real title was (they looked all rough and tough, too much to be flight attendants, which made the next part more absurd)....fainted.

Seriously, she did the whole eyes-roll-back-in-the-head-swoon-thing. Melissa let out a small gasp, as the lady had fainted near her and fallen right at her feet with a thump.

Ouch.

"Oh, for crying out loud...." I heard Eric mutter, where he was sitting with Taylor in Daley and Nathan's seats (yes, both Red and the curly-haired wonder where hovering behind me--no pressure).

I sighed quietly and put my head in my hands. I still had a headache. Still. And all this ruckus was going on?

Why?

It didn't seem fair. But, life wasn't fair so....yeah. Maybe someone had smashed a mirror and we'd be doing this for the next seven years. I thought, feeling the need to be sardonic.

Oh, waaait....

D*mn, that might have been me. I needed to control my destructive tendencies....

***

Daley's POV--

I took a big gulp of air, and then released it. "Jackson, since you seem to know what to do, help out Abby. Nathan? Turn over the girl that just fainted and lay her on her back. Put something under her head, too, something soft. Um, Melissa? Go get the first aid kit, please." I ordered curtly, and everyone went to do what I said without complaint.

Obviously they thought it was logical, because normally they all got fussy when I tried to get them to do _anything_.  
I quickly went to help Nathan, and I found a soft airplane blanket and handed it to him, after he'd turned the brunette over, and he gently pushed it up under her head.

"Well, that was interesting," he commented, a confused look on his face.  
"Yeah," I agreed softly and read the girl's name-tag.

Kelli Brandt was her name. I sighed quietly and felt her wrist for a pulse. Plenty strong, but a little too quick, I think.

Nathan was shaking his head now, his hair bouncing with the movement. "I can't believe we, like, crash landed somewhere," he said softly.

I nodded in agreement and just rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"We'll be fine," I promised quietly.

***

Melissa's POV--

I raced to the back of the plane, almost let out a shriek when the plane lurched under me slightly, shifting on whatever surface we'd landed on. Loose sand, maybe, like what was on a dune? I shuddered and continued on. I snatched the red bag off of a shelf, unbuckling it from its fastenings that kept it in place, and walked back slower--trying not to move the plane any.

"Here," I said to Jackson, who was bent over, gently examining the wound--for what, I wasn't sure.

Just seeing how long and deep the cut was, probably. I held out the bag tersely, its white cross stark against the water-proofed material.

"Thanks, Mel," Jackson said, and smiled tensely at me.

He rummaged around in the bag, grasping it with one hand and digging around with the other, and finally pulled out some antiseptic that was in a tooth paste like tube and some gauze.

"This is all I need right now....I think. You can take the bag back to Daley and Nathan now I guess." Jackson said uncertainly, his forehead creased in concentration and worry.  
"Okay," I said quickly and tried to take it from his hand, where it was clenched up in his taunt fist.

He noticed my problem and loosened his hand, letting me catch it before it dropped.

"Don't worry so much, she's going to be fine," I told him gently, but he just shook his head slightly and went to work cleaning off the wound, after tossing his blood-spotted shirt away.

I then walked over to Daley and Nathan, holding the bag out to them as they kept watch over a woman, small and maybe in her early twenties. Her mahogany-colored hair was splayed everywhere and her freckles seemed dark against her paled face. I shuddered a little, again, goose bumps rising on my arms.

What had made her faint--the plane landing roughly or the sight of the blood? Sure, both of those things had made Jory shriek but she'd fainted a few minutes after the first one and hadn't even really seen Abby's wound, whatsoever.  
It just seemed....random.

***

Jacksin's POV (10 minutes later)--

Abby smiled up at me weakly, a grateful look on her face.

"Thanks for, ya know, fixing up my leg. I didn't know you could do that--you would've been a great help when we went out to explore the island." she said softly, running her fingers over the fluffy white gauze he had wrapped around her calf and taped in place, keeping the blood from getting out.

I nodded stiffly.

"Yeah, I guess," I mumbled quietly, shrugging my shoulders. Abby blinked, noticing my hesitation, and just looked sheepish.

"Not that I would've wanted you out there--ending up like us," she whispered quietly.

"I knew what you meant, Abby, don't worry," I replied, my tone at the same, just slightly deeper, pitch.

"Oh, good. Um...." Abby looked uncomfortable and I felt really awkward.

I knew she wasn't exactly my biggest fan (I'd say that was Melissa, but she'd never seen the single moms that preyed on me when I picked up my foster parents' other kids from preschool and kindergarten) but at least she was getting better, calmer and more decent--almost like before. I did guess, though, she'd never go back to being the almost-hippie, vegan girl everyone liked.

I finally left Abby to her own devices, letting her be doted on by Eric and Taylor, who now seemed okay that the blood was out of sight. Taylor wasn't doing much, but of course Eric followed her around like a lost puppy.

Maybe I shouldn't be so jealous about Eric and Mel talking....

Of course, I wasn't sure if Eric actually liked Taylor as more than friends and Taylor had a crush on me before....

I just shook my head, trying to clear out my thoughts. Jeez, why did I have to end up on the teenage "reality TV" drama?

Wait, I'd answered that before and why was I always asking myself rhetorical questions?

I blamed it on the headache--which was still there, just pulsing every so often, below the radar. Obviously, Tylenol was magic junk. I needed to remember that....

I stalked around Nathan and crouched down near the fainted girl, shouldering between him and Daley. Lex was standing right over there and Daley had been practically petting Nathan to death.

I felt bad for Lex.

Nathan looked at me oddly but I ignored him, used to his loaded looks. I still remember our quote unquote "feud" and I wasn't quite over it, so I _pointedly_ ignored him.

"So, how is she?" I asked uncertainly, looking at the girl that was probably barely older than us, who at least seemed okay.

Her chest was rising and falling with every breath, so at least she hadn't had some sort of asthma attack, or whatever. I didn't exactly know much about that, so who was I to know?

"Good, I think. I'm not sure why she passed out, but there's some color to her skin again and her heart has calmed down. I think she'll wake up soon." Daley said in that curt way of hers, as she brushed some of her red hair out of her face, looking a little annoyed all of the sudden.

I took that as my cue to leave.

"Okay, that's good," I said uncertainly.

I didn't know how to deal with this sort of situation, which I guess they did (rich people went on crash diets and fainted a lot, if TV was to be believed). On the other hand, I knew about knife wounds. Now, didn't that show where my priorities were? Ugh. I hated that.

I got up without a goodbye and just walked towards the cockpit.

The few people in the back, two more ladies--another brunette with lighter hair than the girl that fainted and a red-head with darker hair than Daley, a muscular black man that seemed older than me by about ten or so years that was currently calming Captain Russell and trying to convince him we were not being attacked (I worried about Captain Russell, the guy was off his nut about now), and then there was the nurse (doctor, maybe) that was probably in her thirties and had darker skin and hair who was watching over Ian.

The thing was, even though I'd paid attention to those people and even asked one or two of them if they were alright (to only receive snappy yeses and curt nods), no one had gone into the cockpit to see why the heck the pilots had crashed us, again.

Well, it had been a controlled landing....but that was against the point.

The pilots (co-pilot and pilot, I guess) also hadn't come out to see how we had faired, which was weird in my book. Didn't they do that--kind of like how ship captains stayed with their ships until everyone else was off? Oh, whatever, I'd only flied on planes a few times and I hadn't been paying attention and Captain Russell was in a category all his own.

I hurriedly walked to the front of the plane and pulled back the thick and velvety black cloth....

* * *

_A/N: See what I meant by mini cliffe? Oh, well, now that I've started writing this I can't stop--heck, I should be doing make-up work right now, again, but....yeeeah.... Anyway, I'm glad for all the feedback, it's amazing to have my Fanfic reviewed by people whose Fanfics I enjoyed before. So, here's your chapter guys. If you have any suggestions/ideas feel free to tell me because right now I have Cujo standing over me telling me to make sure everything is in italics like it should be._

_*rolls eyes* Be glad you don't know OTHER OCD writers, 'kay? Because once you live right by them....and they're always rumaging around your kitchen for food or stuff to be turned into explosives (guess who) they get kinda annoying...._

_Heh heh. Cujo's glaring at me now. Ah, well, at least they did introduce me to Flight 29 Down, eh? Oh, never-mind....I'm boring you guys, right? Bad me, ruining the cliffie awesomeness. (What? Am I not allowed to dream, eh?)_


	3. Chapter 3: Very Different? Maybe

_A/N: Hello people of the world! Sorry for the slower update. Real life keeps getting in the way. Yep. School, part-time job, extra stuff, my family toting me around, etc. Anyway, thanks for the awesome reviews! Dally2, Joucelin Hades, f29dwnaddict, etc. All you guys are truly fexcellent._

_Note: Do I, or do I not, count Woody (WOODLAWNIAN, also oddly enough known as The Monster)? Hm…._

**Chapter Three: Very Different? Maybe **

**PLEASE READ THIS**

_**TEASER CHAPTER: This is just being used so I can get some feedback on this partial chapter before I continue writing and muddle up the Fanfic completely. I am unsure about a few things. I.e. whether or not the pilots should be passed out/gone or if Eric should stay serious for a while/if I did his POV well enough. I felt like I was writing awkwardly, but please send me a PM or review if….well, just to express your opinions, okay? Hopefully, I'll have more of the Fanfic on the way soon. I just wanted to clarify some things.**_

Jackson's POV--

The first thing I noticed was the sudden blinding brightness. I put my hands over my face and took a step back.

I then slowly pulled my fingers away once my eyes adjusted to the dreary, gray light that filtered in through the untouched glass windows.

I noticed all the standard buttons and switches, too many for me to even guess what they were for. Some of them were red, or had black-and-yellow stripes around them, which freaked me out.

I shuddered, and then noticed something I should have noticed straight away. The silence. Complete and total silence. No captain or co-pilot turning around in their seats and yelling me to beat it out of here.

I scooted up, taking two steps forward and let out a soft gasp, eyes widening. Both of the tall-backed, gray, leather and wool seats were empty. As in, neither of the pilots was sitting in them in their standardized black-and-white clothing.

Well, cr*p. That couldn't be good....

I looked around the narrow and scarily closed in cockpit (seriously, I wasn't claustrophobic but being in here was almost making me converted). I noticed a flash of gold and looked down; finding the fake-gold covered wings most pilots wore in front of the left seat, the one the captain flew from. I winced slightly, but didn't find anything else. They were just....gone....

I shuddered a little and backed out of the choking velvet drapes, still shivering a little, goose bumps rising on my arms. Where were they pilots? How could they disappear into thin air like that--literally?!

What was this? _Snakes on a Plane_?

"Hey, Jackson, you okay?"

I looked over my shoulder, and down, to see Mel crouched by the fainted girl, who seemed to be slowly coming to. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around, brown orbs taking everything in quickly. Her milk chocolate colored gaze flashed to me and I looked away, unnerved. Something in her eyes still seemed crazed, wild.

Wait, why had I thought "something in her eyes still seemed crazed, wild"? I mean, she had looked perfectly normal before. Just like an average, right-out-of-college girl with classy clothes. Heck, she'd even been the one to tell me where the aspirin was.

"Jackson?" Mel repeated, looking up at me with slightly-narrowed eyes filled with confusion.

She looked between me and the brunette on the carpeted floor of the plane then back, her brows knit in a thoughtful look. I smiled at her weakly and shrugged my shoulders, feeling embarrassed she had caught me staring into space. Well, sort of staring at the brunette who I had been looking at before I spaced out....

Ugh. Now I was confusing myself.

I touched the bridge of my nose lightly, and then pressed down, trying to ease the sudden pain in my temple.

"I'm fine," I told her finally, grinning at her again with the same expression--unsure, but trying to convince her I was all right.

I still felt the raging headache, barely controlled by the aspirin. Or Tylenol. Either, or. I couldn't remember the difference or which one I had taken in all honesty. Oops?

Obviously, in this state I couldn't think right. I mean, I'd been in pain before but never had I felt so out of control, like something was really wrong with me. I wasn't sure where the paranoia came from, either.

Eric's POV--

I stood near Taylor, just shuffling my feet and trying not to look at the blood gathering on the gauze wrapped around Abby's leg. The stain kept spreading slowly....and it was freaking me out. I mean, normally I was okay with blood, but for some reason seeing it gushing from Abby's leg had sent me right over the edge.

I let out a strangled sigh and just dug around in the First-Aid Kit. I got out some fresh, clean-as-a-hospital-and-weirdly-white gauze and wrapped it hesitantly around her calf. Abby gazed down at me in curiosity; something about her gaze was off, too, like she wasn't quite there. I gulped involuntarily and just tied more around her leg. It didn't look as neat as how Jackson had done it, but what the heck? I knew she didn't need to lose more blood, since I was pretty sure she was falling into la-la-land so I did what I had to and tried not to puke.

Didn't that sound courageous? Yeah, I was being sarcastic....in my own head....

Dang it, I think I was going crazy! Next I'd be talking to myself like Captain Chaos over in the back!

Okay, hopefully not....

"Hey, you all right?"

I looked up and saw Mel, who had deep-set worry in her dark brown eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"If you say so...." she said, and with a quiet huff she sat down in one of the tan leather seats.

She shifted and crossed her legs, just looking anxious. Her eyes were narrowed and her gaze was unfocused.

"Mel? Are you okay?" I asked her softly.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." she muttered quickly.

"You seem pale," I informed her.

"I'm Asian. I'm always pale." she snapped.

I blinked at her in mild shock and just gawked at her.

She blushed and ducked her head.

"Sorry Eric. I'm just stressed out. And everyone is acting so weird. You're even acting weird." she muttered.

I did notice she was still wearing my hat, then. I grinned faintly, not really knowing why. Maybe because she didn't manage to lose it or get it obliterated yet. Wow. I was picking up big words from Lex....

Then, my nose scrunched up at her comment as it clicked in my brain. "I'm acting weird? You--innocent, sweet little Mel--just snapped at me! I'm horrified! Next you'll be....petting cats fur the wrong way!"

She burst out laughing. "What the heck, Eric?" she asked loudly, shaking her head.

Good, now she didn't seem so upset....and I felt more normal. Well, kinda. I think the adrenalin from the crash had made me weirdly happy or something. Did that happen? I wasn't sure.... Maybe I should ask the kid genius.

"Well, what? One of my friends, Stacey I think, when I was younger had two pet cats--two orange tabbies named Matilda and Roger. Well, old fat Roger had to be petted one way, the right way, or he'd scratch you. Don't ask me why. Matilda though was more fun. If you tied a sock around her she'd fall over and she couldn't get back up. It was hilarious." I explained.

Melissa was currently looking at me like I was crazy.

"Um, sorry. I rambled....yeah...." I muttered.

I looked down at the stained carpet, feeling embarrassed. Why did I bring that up again? Okay, maybe I was still going crazy....

"No, it's okay. It was funny. I'm pretty sure that's animal abuse, though...." Mel said, raising an eyebrow. I looked up at her serious expression and just pouted.

"No it's not. She liked it!" I claimed. She just snorted at me, shaking her head.

"Eric, I think you've gone off the deep end...." she stated, and she got up again and walked back over to where Daley, Nathan, and Jackson were.

I looked over and saw Taylor giving me a weird look, her head tilted to the side and her mouth in a line like she wasn't sure if she wanted to frown or smile.

"What?" I asked her, turning my torso around awkwardly so I could see her better.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

I just rolled my eyes and walked off. I sat back down in what had been Nathan's seat....I think and just sighed, leaning back and hoping for this all to be just a horrible nightmare.

I did wonder, though, in my nightmares why girls would still be so confusing and weird. Seriously, I may be sixteen but they still didn't make any sense! The only girl that had ever made sense to me played girl football and acted more like a guy than a girl.

Huh. Maybe acting like a girly-girl killed off brain cells? Yeah, that was it....


	4. Chapter 4: Splitting Headaches

_A/N: Hello people of the world! Well, I've been pretty busy but here's the next chapter--I got it out pretty fast, eh? It's kinda short, but better than nothing I guess. Erm, yeah. Don't worry, things will get more....exciting soon. Oh, and thanks for my great reviewer, Joucelin Hades, who has reviewed every chappie so far. *hands gold star sticker* Sorry. I can't eat cookies....*_

_Just to mention the names of the OCs:_

_Daniel: the black man who kept Captain Russell in check, kinda buff and has close-cropped black hair--really dark-skinned._

_Chloe: Erm. I forget which of the other girls she is. Oops._

_Madison: Same. DARN SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS!_

_Kelli: brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin, freckles--innocent-looking, yet kicka**._

_Well, there are others--which I would describe and junk, but that would give you guys spoilers. Just know I drew pictures (I get bored) of a girl named Alys who will be in this and a guy named Stephen. You'll just have to wait and see. Most of my art is on Girl-Who-Likes-Wizards' deviantArt account, though, (I got me a timeshare! I think....) but my scanner's busted so, yeah...._

_WARNING FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS: There WILL be more mature things mentioned in this Fanfic, but nothing I didn't know about at 11-13 yrs. old, so it can't be too bad, eh? Well, I was also a little well informed...._

_My parents blame me watching Animal Planet for that. I blame the city I "haunt"._

_And, erm, some things certain people might find offensive. So, don't be offended, because I didn't mean to offend you--whoever you are. Sometimes I'm too artsy fartsy and politically incorrect for my own good. Sorry. _

_Oh. Erm. And Spottepdath made me an....interesting character, so, huh....poor Richard. I must say this again: it's like a bloody mouse in a python cage. *sniggers* Sorry, inside jokes from GONE....(if you haven't heard of this--you are not in a 3-4 person minority, you're normal! Congrats!)...._

_Now, since I keep forgetting to do this...._

_DISCLAIMER: D.J. MacHale is not my personal slave, so yeah, I don't own this. I don't own myself either, though. Sounds fun, right?_

_

* * *

  
_

**Chapter 4: Splitting Headaches and A Different....**

Lex's POV--

Pretty soon, everyone had found out about the missing pilots, and everyone was in uproar. I just stayed out of the way, hands over my ears, as the black man (whose name I didn't know yet, and I really needed to learn--but he was moving so fast I couldn't read his name tag) and one of the ladies (I wasn't exactly positive whether or not they were flight attendants, so I guess I'd just stick with that title) were all yelling loudly at Jackson, who had calmly announced the news. He'd spoken like it happened every day, which amazed me, honestly.

But, I was too worried to speak, as well, and my mind was racing around in circles--well, metaphorically. Nothing made any sense. If the windows hadn't been smashed as they'd fallen from the sky, how had the pilots managed to get out of the plane? There was no other way....not if they had remained in the cockpit the whole time. If they'd opened up the door, then sure they could've fallen out. But, everyone could see the door, it was right there with safety notices and big bold letters around it. Basically, it said "open this door and die", just in a more polite manner.

He sighed loudly and just sunk to the ground, sitting with his back to the chair as the adults and the teenagers all muddled around, poking their noses past the thick drapes and into the cockpit, looking around and trying to find the two missing pilots.  
So far, it seemed they hadn't had any luck.

The only person who seemed relatively calm was Abby, but she was mumbling to herself again, so who knows? Captain Russell was sleeping. I know, amazing since they'd just crashed but he was snoring up a storm....so, he was pretty sure he was sleeping. Unless he'd swallowed a lawn mower.

The other flight attendant/other person that had some job I wasn't aware of, Kelli (yes, the one that had fainted), was looking up at everyone with a line drawn between her eyebrows, her face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to make out what everyone was saying. But, she didn't make a peep, either....

Ugh. All this yelling was giving me a headache, I could only imagine how Jackson felt....

Jackson's POV--

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I just threw my hands up in the air at Daniel's last question and stalked off. I padded across the fluffy carpet and grabbed the latch on the plane door. I slammed the handle, making the door unlock with a popping sound, as the air pressure....well, did whatever it did that I had no clue about. I just snorted, at my stupidness when it came to planes and ripped open the door with a metallic screech, that made me wince, and the shiny steel clanging against the plane's outer side as I jumped out, onto the pale gray sand. I was attempting to get away from the arguing; the hoarse, deep voice of Daniel, the man who had been keeping Captain Russell at bay, the high-pitched, nassaly voice of one of the ladies here that almost matched Taylor's, which was just slightly more smooth and didn't make my headache worsen, Melissa's calm voice as she tried to speak over the others, such as Daley and Nathan who spoke loud enough to be ten people, and failed miserably, etc.

I looked around, then, my head swinging from left to right. Hm. Well, it definitely wasn't the loose, perfect-white-sandy-beach-dotted-with-shells kinda beach. I sloshed through the wet sand, the gray grit splashing up on my pant's legs as I tried to get up out of the soaked place we'd landed in.  
On and on, there was just beach to the left and to the right, only to the right you could see a short stretch of land sticking out into the ocean.  
I looked straight on then, shuddering, and just tried to find a place to sit down and try to relax for a moment, calm down my intense nerves that made me feel like puking.

I tried to focus on the landscape, instead of my now once again roaring headache. Well, there were reeds up higher and all sorts of plants I hadn't seen on the island, and couldn't name. There were tall, moss covered trees that seemed ancient, and a lot sturdier than any coconut tree. This was definitely not our island. Heck, further in it looked kinda swampy. Ugh.

Finally, after trudging up a steep slope I found a place dotted with sand dunes, high white sand topped with rugged-looking, thorn bushes. Some were dotted with tiny white flowers, others were, well, just covered in spikes.  
Hopefully, I would not be unusually clumsy while I was here. I did NOT want to fall backwards onto my butt on one of those things.

But, my head was still throbbing painfully and I closed my eyes, refusing to take in anymore of this new place. All I had to see was the churning, dark waves of the ocean just past the plane to know we were likely to be swamped here.  
_Perfect...._ I thought sardonically.

Melissa's POV--

I sighed softly as Jackson left, stomping off and leaving with the plane's door (I wasn't even sure if it was called a door, but whatever) wide open, letting in bright, dull white sunlight in along with the salty tang of sea air. I shivered. They were definitely near the ocean, where ever they had landed.

Finally, after a lot of screaming and yelling, everyone had calmed down. Daniel, the huge man who had tried (and somewhat failed) to calm Captain Russell, stood with his back stiff, his eyes on the ground. He heaved a sigh and looked sideways at Daley, who was rocking back and forth on her heels. They'd managed to calm everyone down, Daniel with his calm, understanding voice and Daley's quick, logical thinking. That was a lucky break, because Lex seemed panicky, Kelli was still lying on the floor, now asleep--she'd drifted off, somehow, Abby was leaning against her seat, with a tired, weary expression on her face, and Captain Russell and Ian were barely being attended to, like they should be.  
Everything still felt tense, though.

It was agreed Daniel and a few others--Chloe, Madison, and Nathan--were going to explore the nearby area and come back when the sun started to set. I felt a scary amount of deja vu and was pretty much wringing my hands, still. I didn't want them getting lost. Of course, Daniel, the most senior person here except Captain Russell, seemed to know what he was doing--much more than Captain Russell had.  
But, I just felt nervous. I didn't know Daniel well, or Chloe and Madison, but I knew Nathan and I didn't want anything to happen to him. Daley had been undecided on letting him go, but Nathan had volunteered.  
The rest of them were supposed to stay and take care of Abby, Captain Russell, Ian, and Kelli, as well as set up a temporary camp.  
Daniel had no idea what the pilots had been thinking, or how far they had flown off course, if they were off course at all, so he wasn't much help--he'd shrugged his massive shoulders in response to those questions sometimes, actually--but he knew how to find any civilization nearby, sort of. He'd talked about a lot of stuff that hadn't made sense to me, but a few of the others (notably Chloe and Madison) had, nodding their heads and making agreeable sounds.  
_Whatever._ I thought meekly. _I'll just go find Jackson and do what I'm told....I guess._

Jacksin's POV--

I was just resting my forehead against my knees, taking deep breaths with my eyes closed as I tried to quell my headache. Eventually, it started to go away. Maybe it was the air pressure? Didn't that just make your ears pop....?  
I finally opened my eyes and sighed softly, slowly releasing my knees and shifting to sit Indian Style....kind of. I just watched the ocean, noting the dark gray storm clouds closer than the horizon should be that made a solid wall that resembled fog faintly, the clouds hovering low in the sky. Oh, well. At least the clouds seemed to be moving, puffy, grayish-white clouds taking over.  
I yawned and just propped myself up with my hands, watching as the murky, grayish-brown water lapped at the sand. That was kinda weird, as the other island had crystal-clear water. Maybe it was because of the storm?

It took a large amount of sand shifting and hitting my back for me to finally notice someone was behind me. I should have noticed, as I'd heard scuffling behind me, but I'd ignored it--blaming the noise on freakishly large sand crabs (if that was even their proper name) or some other sort of little critter. I jerked around, my torso twisting a little too far, and I saw Mel behind me. I instantly calmed when she smiled weakly at me, her long, inky black hair in disarray. She sat down beside me and I just turned my gaze ahead. Looking at people kind of bothered me, like I felt like I was being a creeper and staring at them if I did it too long. I knew that sort of unnerved people more....but, what could I do? It made me uncomfortable.  
Yeah, I did have some odd quirks....

"So...." Melissa said uncertainly, as she was taking fistfuls of sand and letting it run out from around her fingers, I noted, glancing sideways at her.  
"So?" I asked back.  
"You're staring at the water....again....away from everyone else...." she informed me. "I think you're getting into a rut."  
I shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe."  
She sighed and just rested her chin against her knees, after hugging them to her chest. She looked cute when she did that, I looked broody (accordinh yo popular belief). Go figure.

I noticed her dreary expression--which actually could math this almost shell-less, grayish-white beach, cloudy sky, and fog-hidden marsh land. Even the giant trees with their thick, twisted branches, covered in yellow-green hanging moss seemed creepy.

"Hey? You all right, Mel?" I asked worriedly.  
She shook her head. "Not really."  
I was about to ask her why she wasn't doing okay--heck, Id already started to open my mouth--when a piercing scream split the air.

* * *

_A/N: R&R anyone? I need feedback. Since very few people seem at all happy with what I spend my time doing....*headwalls repeatedly*....reviews are my version of black gold, got it? I also like PMs. Which is odd: PMs, PMS? Anyone notice something? Duuur._

_*Any idea where the virtual cookies thingy comes from? *looks confused*_


	5. Chapter 5: Let the Dead Bury the Dead?

_A/N: __So, yeah, this chapter probably will be slightly suckish. I was gonna get Cujo to post this for me, since I wasn't in a good mood but the little bugger didn't so what the heck, I just will today. Obviously, I have to do all the work._

_Yeah, I'm sooo gonna get smacked for that. Uh huh. Anyway, thanks for all the awesome reviews and sorry for taking so long to update. My "beta" even pronounces beta as betta, like better with an a, so what can I say? _

_*scowls* How did you tell I'm in a funk? Oh, right. Normally I don't poke fun at anything that moves....that's my Dad's job...._

_Anyway, thank you guys for sending me so many NICE reviews. I'm stunned. And, thanks Joucelin Hades, too, for the constructive critizism. I needthat now and then, since very few people would tell me the truth about mywriting, as in--whether it's honestly good or not. Or, they just say "yeah, that's nice" and walk off, acting totally uninterested. _

_Yeah, if you gave me a bloody dog biscuit and told me great job I'd probably jump for joy. I'm such a sad little person...._

_Oh, well, here's the chapter. Enough of my pointless monologuing (wow, I sound like such an evil villain....), because I'm getting rambly and random about now and I hate when I do that._

_Disclaimer: No, I don't own Flight 29 Down. I do own some OCs, though, and the plot (kinda). I borrowed other OCs from Shadowy and Spottepdath (Jake and Richard, if I use them). No I do not own The Bravery and I probably don't own their eyeliner or leather get ups either. Nor would I want to...._

_Oh, and lucky you, I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger this time, I promise! Of course, you'll have to see....I ended it weirdly, but hopefully the next chapter will be the end of DAY ONE. I couldn't help but write six chapters for one day, I just have too many ideas to fit into one or two chapters. Plus, if I did each chapter would be about 10,000 words long. And, even I would get overwhelmed seeing that giant._

_P.S. If you even carem you can help me decide what the next song will be. Like Jackson, I am a music addict, so I will have him listening to songs with oddly parallel lyrics during this Fanfic. Until his mp3 player dies or whatever. I'll probably be using a Death Cab for Cutie, Wild Sweet Orange, or R.E.M. song but I'm not picky. Well, sorta. Anything close to classic rock or '80s music. Or whatever the heck Death Cab for Cutie is. Indie? I'm not even sure what that word bloody well means...._

* * *

**Chapter 5: Let the Dead Bury the Dead?**

Taylor's POV--

I looked up, from where I was sitting in the doorway of the plane, just watching as everyone--Daley, Eric, Lex, Nathan, and everyone else gathered around, talking. I looked back into the plane and saw Captain Russell still sitting back there, in the shadows. I think he was sleeping, as he was snoring up a storm but I still got up, shivering with a sudden chill, and walked over to where Abby, Ian, and Kelli was sitting in the sand, on a laid out on a gray blanket, the gray only a few shades darker than the coarse and gritty sand.

I didn't sit down with them, just tried to block out the voices--the voices that seemed rational (except for Eric's) and were talking about our serious issues.  
I felt that my face was wet and I looked up, to see a pale blue sky devoid of clouds. I touched my face and realized I'd been....crying? Great. Just great. I thought bitterly and wiped off my face, ignoring Ian's concerned, strained look as he glanced up at me. _I'm not going to cry anymore....I'm not...._ I told myself firmly, even though I felt like breaking down.  
I was still rubbing my face with my hands--trying to destroy the evidence. I mean, it was okay to be upset about this. Like, Jory had been crying silently a minute ago....  
I noticed she was gone, but didn't really worry too much. Well, too much. She'd probably had to go to the bathroom, or something, right?  
I just shivered again and was about to sit down next to this Kelli girl, when someone screamed bloody murder. Nathan stiffened and Daley looked around frantically, pulling Lex to her front. Eric glanced around, his eyes meeting mine once; before looking in the direction Jackson and Melissa had gone off in.  
I just blanched and stood straight again. Jackson and Melissa, much to my relief, quickly came loping down the hilly dunes, between two of the larger ones, with blatantly concerned looks on their faces.

"What happened?" Jackson demanded Daley, coming to stand by the others.  
"I don't know! Someone just screamed.... Wait, where's Jory?!" she broke off in her frantic question.

Nathan just shrugged.

"I'm not sure...." he admitted.  
"She went over there, she said she needed some air," Ian said, a clearly worried look on his face, eyebrows knit together and his forehead creased.

He pointed up higher, along a flat part of the beach that led straight to the forest--the only clear path that I could see. I gulped. What could've happened to her? I wondered, wringing my hands in front of me.

"Okay, Jackson, Melissa, Taylor, you guys come with me. Nathan, Eric, everyone else? Just stay put and do what Daniel tells you. Lex--you stay with them, got it?" Daley ordered, and she grabbed her backpack. Without waiting for a response, she charged off.  
I bit my lip, then just stood and followed her closely.

"Um, good luck, guys. Try not to get lost, okay?" Eric called after them.

I looked back and saw a worried expression on his face, which almost matched Ian's (and Ian was totally in freak out mode over Jory). I waved back at him, smiling. It wasn't like we'd go far and Daley had picked up a compass off one of the bags before charging off into the unknown.

"Wait, I'm coming!" Chloe yelled and raced after us, huffing and puffing as she hiked up the dunes Daley had already managed to scale.

I hadn't, but I was almost with the others. Darn flip flops. But, hey, Daley hadn't given me a chance to even put on my sneakers….

Daley looked a little peeved, and stopped, looking back at Daniel--who just shrugged innocently, like he hadn't told Chloe to come along. Obviously, we couldn't take care of ourselves--and this tiny girl who looked maybe five years older than us, if that, would be able to save the day, no matter what happened! Not.

Lex's POV--

I sighed quietly as I lost sight of Daley behind a high sand dune, her fiery red hair out of my vision. I saw Nathan tense a little, and then sit down on the heap of sleeping bags higher up the beach, straining forward in his seat--trying to catch sight of them again, I suppose. I sighed and just found my own backpack and drug it farther up, to sit by someone as freaked out as me at least (aka Nathan). He just looked at me, smiling just barely, and then looked away--the expression falling right off his face.

"She'll be okay," he told me, but I was pretty sure he was mostly talking to himself.

I rolled my eyes at him and his teenage antics. She wasn't even his girlfriend yet (I think), and yet how did he seemed to be so much more worried than I was? Yes, I was worried and yes, I wanted to go with her, but seriously--he looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown. Jeez.

_Oh, well...._ I thought with a sigh. Daley was definitely a special person.

To distract myself I looked around, trying to figure out what region we might be in. What I saw surprised me. Instead of dense, tangled jungle like our island, there were towering, mostly leafless cedars and oaks, adorned with Spanish moss. The beach was covered in whitish-gray sand, that was flecked with driftwood and some dried kelp, like normal, but there were very few shells. To my left, there was swamp and a muddy stream that ran into the ocean, and to my right high dunes topped with golden-brown thorny plants blocked everything else from view.

Nothing seemed normal for where they should be. It looked more like an island you'd find in South Eastern North America, just off the coast. But, that was virtually impossible. They'd only been flying for about four hours....  
Of course; it took about nine hours to fly from Atlanta to Spain if he remembered correctly, but since they'd been flying in circles he doubted they'd honestly gone far. Actually, thinking about it again, there was no way they'd ended up anywhere near the East Coast.

Speaking of which, how I'd been able to tell where we were, more or less, was pretty much right in front of me. Well, I couldn't tell where exactly we were, but up in the air I'd been able to tell that we were flying in circles….

Just a little to the right of the plane. I shivered, as the cold, damp air chilled my arms. I slipped on my hoodie as I stared up at the massive pillar of black, sharp stone that rose up out of the still boiling, dark ocean. Seriously, it must go about thirteen or fourteen feet straight up....maybe higher....it was hard to tell from this far away....

Daley's POV--

I stalked through the mini valleys between the high, smooth-sided sand dunes easily. Of course, the sand kept shifting so I'd probably have about a pound of it in each of my tennis shoes by the time we got back. Whatever--that didn't matter.  
Finally, we rounded the bend past a smaller dune, and into a place with extremely thick undergrowth. I kept wincing a little. Bad day to wear capris, now I was going to have scratches all up my lower legs....

I heard Taylor yelping behind me, so obviously she was keeping up....somewhat....

I looked back and saw Jackson, his huge form so close behind me I almost jumped out of my skin. He seemed amused by that and I wanted to smack him....but I didn't....Melissa might pounce on me....

Speaking of Melissa, she was right there, trudging along a few paces behind Jackson. I couldn't see Taylor, but I could hear her, so I just carried on, turning around. I was pretty sure Chloe was somewhere, too….

We were following the faint outlines of what I supposed were Jory's footprints. They had tread on them, like her shoes would, and they were fairly deep, while my feet barely sunk into the spongy ground. I figured it was because she was more heavy set, so....obviously we were heading in the right direction.... I hoped.

Suddenly, we broke out into a clearing, somehow back on the beach. What....the....heck?! Jackson huffed behind me.

"Did you really have to go and lead us in circles?" he asked, sounding annoyed.  
I was about to reply with a sharp retort, that I'd led us in a perfectly straight line unless this compass was defective....when I spotted Jory.  
Melissa was the first to head over, and then I raced after her, putting on some speed and ending up at Jory's side right before Mel did. Taylor and Jackson finally loped up a few seconds later, both seemingly unimpressed now that they saw Jory was standing on two legs, wasn't visibly bleeding heavily, etc.  
But, Jory was also white as a ghost. Well, paler than usual (she didn't tan easily). Her brown hair was tied up perfectly as always and she had on her normal, well-fitted clothes, but something about her seemed mussed, wrong.  
Weird.  
She swallowed hard and pointed down. I looked and saw pale, bleached wood. What was with her? Did she get scared of driftwood....?  
Then I finally noticed the shape the bits of wood took. I let out a short gasp and took a step back. Okay, not driftwood....  
They were bones, barely poking out of the sand. But, they were obviously in the shape of a human skeleton--like the fake one in my science classes back home. Well, except, these were far too real.

Jackson finally bent down beside the partially sand-covered specimen straight out of _Bones_ and started brushing away the grit. Jory let out a disgusted sound and Mel started to say 'just leave it alone', but he kept at it. Pretty soon he'd unearthed a nearly complete skeleton, except some of the main arm bones on the left side were missing, a rib or two, and the skull was crushed. Like, halfway crushed into little pieces.  
I almost felt sick. I'd never liked bones. Not human ones, at least. Especially not skulls. Or, half skulls in this case.

"Well, hello," Jackson said, his voice almost joking, which made Taylor kick his leg.  
"Ouch! What was that for?!" he asked, sounding peeved as he looked up at the bottle-blonde herself.  
"That....was....like someone! Don't make fun of him! Or her...." Taylor babbled, sounding freaked out.  
"Well, whoever it was is dead now," Melissa said solemnly.

I frowned a little, shifting from foot to foot. "How old do you think it is?" I asked, sort of nervous.

Of course, it would take a while for it to decay....but, it had been left on the beach....in the sun....with salty air....and sea gulls....  
Okay, now it was like I was trying to make myself get sick....I didn't need that mental image....ugh....

"No clue," Jackson said curtly, as he got up from his crouched position. "Probably pretty old, though. There isn't even a smell...."

At that, Jory just turned around and walked off. Taylor sighed and looked at each of our faces before stomping after her.

"I have to do everything!" she grumbled, as she kicked off her hot pink flip flops and padded across the sand.

Melissa suddenly leaned over, and since I was pretty sure her and Jackson and decided to play archeologists I was about to walk off myself. Instead, she found two pieces of driftwood, also bleached out and half rotten, up a little ways.  
She brought them over and held them in a cross like way. I sighed. She was too nice for her own good.... Then, I realized they already were tied together that way, the twine that held them together was just about as rotten and weak as the wood, though.

"His name was John Hayes," she informed us quietly.

Jackson nodded briefly, his eyes suddenly sad. Obviously, with a name this wasn't just a heap of bones to him anymore.

"Why is it every time we land on an island there's some remnant of a dead person? Doesn't anyone get out of these h*llh*l*s?!" he asked, rather harshly.

He glared at the sand, or, well, at John Hawkins (or what was left of him) as he spoke. Melissa bit her lip, looking uncomfortable.

"Of course they do," I said strongly, "I don't know statistics but I do know if we all think we're going to die all the sudden we will, because we'll give up."  
Jackson rolled his eyes at me. "You should be an army commander."

I just ignored him, and looked towards Melissa. She seemed a little upset, her eyes kind of watery, but she gave me a curt nod.

"She's right. You have to have faith in something, or you'll never live through anything." she said calmly, and put the cross back in its place.  
"Now, come on....let's go back...." I said softly, as Taylor and Jory walked back over.  
"I still want Lex to come here," Jackson responded quietly.  
I blinked at him in shock. "What?!" I asked, loudly.

He winced.

"He might be able to tell us how old this dude is....then we can know....you know, if there's something here we should worry about now...." he replied brokenly, visibly wilting under my gaze. _Well, good! _I thought. _He deserved it._ I mean, what was he trying to do?! Scar my little brother for life?!  
Then, I noticed....he looked really guilty. Huh....

Jacksin's POV--

I sighed softly as I stalked back to camp. Mel had opted to stay with Jory and Taylor, to mark the spot where John Hayes' body was quite unwillingly, and Daley had told me that if I wanted Lex to tell us how old the body even was _I_ had to ask him _by myself_. She was _not_ helping.

That pretty much summed up what she had said, except she'd used an extremely fierce tone, while poking me in the chest with one fore finger and gesturing wildly with the other hand. Truth be told, red-heads were like fire personified--unpredictable and sort of extreme. Well, in my mind that's about all I could think of....I'd only known Daley, of course....  
Most Californian girls and women were blondes, after all. Whether naturally or bleach blondes, they were. Unless they weren't white, such as Mel, who was Asian, and Nathan who was....well, whatever he was....  
I wasn't exactly sure about that, other than the fact he must be part black. Basically, my whole sense of everything had been thrown out of whack when I went to Hartwell. Before, in many cases, I'd been on the bottom of the food chain for my skin color alone--because I was white I'd been treated like a helpless weakling and had to prove myself again and again. Or risk being beaten up on a daily basis.

This new set of rules, that even followed me to the island, was confusing. Now, if I called a person black, I'd be called a racist. But, what were the blacks that called me a wide variety of nicknames that had to do with my looks called? Nothing, they were completely ignored.

Oh, well, whatever. I had bigger problems to deal with than the fact I was almost always confused by how all these people co-existed, but were so different from each other. The fact they strove to be different literally freaked me out. If you were different, you were targeted.  
I shook my head quickly, clearing away the thoughts I was pretty sure I was just thinking so I didn't have to ponder on the fact I was about to ask an eleven-year-old to examine his first corpse. Well, skeleton. A corpse was a....never mind.

I rounded the bend and I was finally able to see the plane, in all its metallic, sun-blinding glory. I blinked repeatedly, trying to get rid of the color spots swarming my vision. Dang....  
No wonder people said you could get sunburned on a cloudy day. The sky was still fairly gray with puffy clouds, and it was like shining a flashlight at a broken mirror.

"Hey! Did you find Jory?!" Ian asked me loudly.

I looked over at him, still with spots in my vision.

"Yes, she's fine," I answered calmly.

He visibly sighed with relief. He was still over on that gray blanket, one leg propped up, but Kelli was leaning against the plane, talking to Daniel for a moment.  
Daniel himself was frowning, almost scowling, and he was obviously not liking what he was hearing.  
Odd.

"That's great, is everyone else okay?" Nathan asked him, from where he was sitting in the sand by the sleeping bags, nearby.

Lex sat beside him, trying to peer around the larger boy.  
I almost chuckled, recognizing the loaded question, but I ignored it--keeping my solemn look instead. It helped knowing what I was about to ask. I shivered a little. I really shouldn't do this. Really shouldn't. But something about John Hayes, what was left of him, didn't seem _right_. I couldn't place it, but I knew something about the body seemed off.

"Yep. Unless you count how Jory is a little hoarse from her magnificent scream and Daley looked like she was gonna puke." I said in response, shrugging.

This made everyone look at me like I was off my nut. What did I say....? Maybe it was the fact I'd actually said more than 'yes' or 'no'? Yeah, that was probably it. I wanted to roll my eyes at them. I was capable of talking, I just didn't like senseless chatter. What was the point of filling up silence with noise, anyway? Silence was a good thing, unless you actually had something important to say.

"Why was Daley about to vomit?" Lex asked curiously.

Of course, he didn't use slang like me....

"Well, erm, I'd suggest you just see it...." I replied awkwardly, not sure how to put it.

And, now, everyone was looking at me with interest. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I was not the kind of person who enjoyed being in the spotlight.

"See what?" Eric asked curiously.

I finally noticed Chloe behind me and I jumped. I'd hardly noticed her the whole time she'd been with us. She hadn't said anything, just watched with interest. Heck, I had barely even heard her walking. She was like me on steroids--definitely not the one that had smiled at me on the plane.

"Um, well...." I said, trailing off as I realized I had no idea how to put it.  
"Just spit it out already," Abby mused sarcastically, from her place on the blanket.

I scowled at her, but she just grinned meekly back. Oh, so she was sarcastically being sarcastic? Eh. I'll never get her....

"Well, John Hayes," I said finally, calmly.

Of course, that caused everyone to go into uproar. Yes, again.  
I put my hands over my ears and literally prayed they'd stop, as it felt like someone had decided to take a sledge hammer to my skull.

Nathan's POV--

I followed Jackson quickly, trying to keep up with his long strides and jerky way of changing directions as he led us--as in, Eric, Daniel, Lex, and I--towards this place where Jory had found a body. I shuddered at the very thought, which made Lex, who struggled to keep up, look at me oddly.  
I shrugged in response and just looked ahead, trying to see them as soon as possible. The backs of the dunes--covered in all sorts of plants I couldn't name, some covered with tiny pale-colored flowers, oddly enough, but deadly-looking thorns covered their branches--was all I could see, except for moss that hung down from the branches of the gigantic trees that dominated the island. Nothing I recognized, so they probably weren't good for food or poisonous.

Of course, I'd learned my Boyscout Training was more or less obsolete when it came to actually roughing it. America's youth wasn't quite as tough as everyone liked to think obviously.  
I sighed softly, as I tried to keep my thoughts off Daley and how worried I was. I needed to stop that, and stop analyzing everything. I'd just tried to find a name for a plant, which would've been no good for us anyway. It was a bush for crying out loud, but still I did. I felt kind of worthless about then, again. There'd been absolutely no reason for doing that, right? We could focus on stuff like that later, but for now I needed to keep my head on straight....for once....and make sure everyone was okay, physically and mentally, and stop being upped by Jackson or Daley. Especially by Daley. We needed to be equals....

Finally, we rounded another dune and Jackson stopped short, holding up his hand. "We're here," he said softly, as if talking loudly would ruin something.

I charged past him hurriedly, squeezing past with a quiet 'excuse me', as to not upset our resident Hulk, and I almost ran to Daley's side. She was sitting down by the water, hugging her knees as she watched the tide hit the bogged-down gray sand.  
She smiled up weakly at me as I came to her, and she brushed some of her reddish-brown hair from her face. I smiled toothily at her, but she sighed softly and just rested her chin on her knees. Her eyes blazed oddly, taking me aback for a minute. She looked....fierce.

"I can't believe Jackson wanted Lex to check out the body," she hissed softly.

I just nodded quickly, as if I agreed. I did, kind of. That was sort of sick for him to want to, even if it was a good idea. Lex was only....eleven....or twelve....something like that....

"I mean, really! What would Lex know about aging bodies? His SAT grades this year were post high school level, sure, but seriously, I don't even know about that and I'm years older than him!" she explained in a harsh whisper.  
I just shrugged. "Jackson obviously had a reason for doing it. He wouldn't ask Lex to do something like that if it weren't important. You know they're close--almost as close as you and he are, just different. Jackson is like a big brother to him, sort of."  
Daley huffed quietly. "I know. But I don't have to like it."  
"I never said you had to...." I said meekly.

Eventually, I looked over my shoulder and saw Mel, Jackson, and Lex hovering near where I supposed the body was, after seeing a piece of driftwood standing straight up there, sunk into the sand. Jory and Taylor held back about a yard, not wanting to get too close, probably.  
Of course, I wouldn't want to get close either. I was in favor of letting the dead be left alone.

* * *

_A/N: R&R? I figured you wanted a short A/N after the novel I wrote above. Anyway, the next chaptershould start from that last sentence on. Oh, and....well....anyone who review, you could get an excerpt from Haze, Cujo's book. It's not a real excerpt, since it's a random thing he wrote that may or may not be in the first book of the series....but...._

_Idk. I want the little bugger to get a claim at something. I write most of this, but Cujo's very helpful with "F29Dwn?". Two morbid heads are better than one._

_By the way, hope your April Fool's Day pranks turned out well and happy Easter to those who celebrate it.... _


	6. Chapter 6: So Tired?

**_*** JUST IGNORE CASPER'S (Ghost's) avid rambling. Coffee and sugar related high. ....I was too busy snickering at the epic fail to stop it. Enjoy the stupidity if you like. I left it the way it was for that reason. I will probably get smacked over the head, but what the heck?***-Beware of Dogs, the beta_**

_A/N: Hey, people! I finally managed to whip up a new chapter for you guys--well, whoever decided to take some time to read this Fanfic. Thank you for all your awesome reviews and even if you didn't leave a review, thanks for taking a peek at this Fanfic. Oh, and special thanks to Dally2._

_Um, I'm not sure what else I'd like to talk about--tell ya about, except a few clarifications, so BE OVERJOYED! Well, I probably will end up rambling...._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Flight 29 Down, or any actors. I do not own Wild Sweet Orange, even if I am a fan of theirs on Facebook, the B-52's, or R.E.M. I don't own anything else, even myself. All OCs belong to either me, or Shadowy and Spottepdath, just ask to borrow them--if you have a reason to want to. _

**_EXPLANATION: READ THIS IF CONFUSED--but you may get more confused, anyway...._**

_Since people are confused about this Fanfic's plot, as Dally2 was asking me about it earlier in a PM, this is my version of "Alice in Wonderland"--just different. No, don't think of Johnny Depp right away, you weirdos, I mean the original--the books, too. Oh, and think "Gregor the Overlander". Think an AU, an alternate reality where you have to face your fears, come to terms with your 'sins' (or whatever you would call them), and learn lessons?_

_Yeah, that about sums it up. _

_Warning: There may be blood. OH, NO. *rolls eyes* Well, there already WAS skeleton....I don't see the big deal....except if you get light-headed around blood like Woody and I._

_Actually, it's the fact there's blood IN my body that freaks me out....which is odd...._

_I think my head isn't screwed on right. Eh. I guess that's all I have, too long of an A/N....I think....oh, well, no one reads these things anyway...._

_Eh. There may be an embrace the rainbow warning later on (blame Spottepdath, she helped with the certain OCs I'd be talking about). Buuut....you gotta love those bumperstickers, right? Cheetahwing always finds the cool ones....pelting people with skittles DOES sound like fun.... Even if I don't have a reason to...._

_Like pushing them out of first-story windows or releasing a python...._

_I'm rambling again. ....On with the show!_

_

* * *

  
_

_ **Chapter 6: So Tired? **_

**END OF DAY ONE**

Lex's POV--

I'd been stunned at first, when Jackson had asked me to check out the body and tell them how old it was. Sure, I mean....I guess I could.... I probably wouldn't be anywhere close to accurate, but I'd try. But, everything after that had passed in a blur.

But, finally everything had calmed down to a manageable pace. I let out a nearly silent sigh of relief then looked around.

Jory and Taylor sat up higher on a dune, Eric sitting at their feet.

Nathan was sitting with my sister, near where the tide was coming up, further down the beach.

Jackson was standing over Mel, who was crouched by the body and looking at something. I think it was a cross, a completely ancient one but one nonetheless. I could see the basic shape of it from here.

Of course, according to a few shows I'd watched--like on Nat Geo or History--the Christian cross had been in the shape of a T instead of what people imagined it to be. Romans obviously hadn't had the resources needed to be frivolous. They'd just used enough to get the job done. Eck. That was gross to think about....

That said, I was about to poke and prod a dead person, so what could I say about that? According to Jackson, it was just a skeleton--with nothing else, no stink even. I was glad, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to even sneak a peek at it. I didn't even really like Daley's Dad's horror movies, even the older ones. All the blood and guts made my stomach churn.

I definitely didn't want to be a doctor. I mean, if someone got hurt here, sure I'd jump into save them--but someone on a steel table with their foot falling off? Eck.

"Hey, Lex?"

I looked and saw Jackson watching me with a concerned look on his face, his eyes unusually pale in the dimming light.

"Yeah?" I asked back.

"You don't have to do this, you know, if it makes you uncomfortable," he said calmly.

"I know. But, I'm okay. I was just thinking." I said hurriedly.

He just frowned a little and nodded, scooting back so I could kneel down in the sand beside him and Mel. I looked down and just frowned a little, myself. The body was mostly intact, and just a nicely preserved skeleton--unless you counted the missing humerus, radius, ulna, and maybe the smashed skull.

I looked closer at the skull, figuring that was where the person had been killed. I messed with it for a second, before realizing the damage was just caused from decay, from being under burning sun and having salt-carrying waves lap at it for however long.

This body was old--at least 1800s, sometime near the Civil War maybe, maybe older. It was amazing the cross had stayed fine for so long, unless it had been replaced after John Hayes himself had died.

So, we probably weren't in any 'danger' like Jackson had thought. Well, other than the normal--I hoped. But, I did notice something that did disturb me.

There were scratches running along the bones, like gauges. Now, that was weird because if those were wounds from his death--who the heck had sent a knife so far down it hit bone and then scraped it down his arm?

I shuddered, which made Melissa look at me with deep-set worry in her onyx-colored eyes. That made it sound really wrong. I doubted that had happened. Well, I really hoped he hadn't had to die so brutally. Maybe it was from an animal, ya know, cleaning up the place--erm, helping along the decay cycle?

Darn it, there was no easy way to say 'some animal decided to make this fellow human being it's main course'. There just wasn't.

***

Melissa's POV--

I noticed Lex start to look appalled and I gently touched his arm. He whipped his head around, his darker hair splaying in his face as he looked at me with wide-eyes.

"You go and run along, and maybe go check on Daley and Nathan for us?" I suggested.

He nodded slowly and then at Jackson, who was looking slightly worried now, his blue eyes dark, irises almost the cobalt blue of a water color pencil you could find in my art supplies at home. Maybe it was the light? Anyway, it was odd.

"He's ancient, Jackson," Lex informed him, "maybe Civil War era. The wood is petrified, I think, since it stayed fine for so long. Not really sure about that, but maybe."

Jackson just grinned weakly at him. "Thanks, Lex."

Then, he frowned a little--looking down at the partially buried body, the movement of feet from the others that sat on the dunes, all gathered around with interest putting it back in half-hiding.

"Sorry for making you go through this. I didn't want to. I just thought maybe it would be good if....ya know, we knew. I'm sorry. I was wrong." Jackson told Lex.

Lex just shrugged, seeming unabashed. "You were trying to keep us safe. That's all. And, no biggie. I'm glad I could help!"

The younger boy stood up and brushed off his pants, then shook shoes. He then headed over to Daley and Nathan. I chuckled as I saw him roll his eyes, as he noted how Nathan had his arm around his step sister's shoulders.

Come to think of it, that must be awkward for Lex. Of course, all teen-aged drama must be awkward for him. Pretty soon he'd be in the same boat as the rest of us, poor kid.

Of course, I'd just stood by and pretty much watched him be scarred for life, so what could I say? Ugh. I hated that I'd let that go on, but wasn't it just like me not to step on anyone's toes--especially Jackson's?

Well, truthfully and not metaphorically Jackson had tread on my toes more than once, at the dance Abby had set up, so I really should pay him back for that--or whatever it was called. Step up and maybe, you know, not let him show Lex a skeleton that came from a real live person named John Hayes. But, I hadn't. Sigh.

***

Eric's POV--

Finally, I stood up. "Well, guys, how about we go back to our brand new and shiny camp before I get completely eaten by these mutated cockroaches that keep landing on me?" I asked, slapping at my ankle once again.

D*mn bugs, they were so annoying. And they had stingers! Like, giant ones. It felt like having little needles jammed into my skin.

I was never, ever going to be a druggie. Not with realizing how freaking bad being stabbed felt.

Daley nodded, as she walked back up the beach--finally moving from where she'd been talking with Nathan and Lex. "Yeah, that'd be a good idea. We need to get camp set up before dark."

"True," Nathan agreed.

I rolled my eyes. Daley so wore the pants in that relationship--or whatever they called their quote unquote 'cute' hand-holding and cheek pecks.

"Yeah, there's like....animals....in there," Taylor stated dumbly, glancing back over her shoulder at the thick woods behind us.

It looked like we'd been dropped into the boonies.

I just sighed loudly and started stomping back to camp, using my hat--which Mel had returned to me--as my own personal fly-swatter.

I mean, of course there were animals. Duh! I mean, I'd just seen an armadillo--of all critters--a few minutes ago. I'd actually seen a live one—which was totally insane. I figured all the ones that existed were dead on the side of the road. Oh, well. Heck, and that little thing had been freaking fast! Weird, very weird....

Was I high? I felt high--not that I'd know what being high felt like, other than hearing the teachers preach about it at school. Maybe I needed to sit in the shade for a bit....

"Hey, you all right?" Mel asked me, as she jogged along at my side.

I slowed down my stride a little, so she could keep up. Huh, maybe I'd grown a little? Or maybe I wasn't just lazily strolling along like normal....

"Yeah, I'm good. Just feeling a little off, you know? There's probably just too nervous energy in me, or whatever." I said, not really sure what that even meant but she just nodded like it made perfect sense.

Well, maybe I'd had a smart moment? Probably not. She was always just nice to everyone, most of the time. Except for Taylor--sort of.

"Well, the best thing for us to do is just set up a few tents and get settled in for the night," she said quickly.

I just nodded in agreement, as we finally reached camp after tromping through the buggy forest for far too long.

I was going to be covered in big bites the next day. I made a mental note to remember bug spray next time--well, assuming we even had big spray.

We'd better have big spray....

***

Nathan's POV--

I sighed softly as we finally reached camp, the plane high enough up the beach the tide line didn't seem to reach it (thank goodness) and the bags throw about in heaps randomly. Kelli looked up as we entered and she smiled weakly. Ian had his foot propped up on a backpack and Abby was leaning half against the dune behind them and half against him.

"So, where's nuts-o?" Eric asked curiously, causing Ian to quirk an eyebrow.

"Who?" Ian asked, brushing some of his curly blond hair out of his face.

"Captain Chaos?"

"Oh, he's resting in the plane," Ian answered curtly, then laid his head back against the dune, himself.

"Ah. I feel safe knowing he's lurking in the shadows," Eric muttered sarcastically, as he plopped down nearby, still swatting at bugs with his hat. They seemed to have a taste for him--or, more correctly, his blood.

I dug around in my pack, after finding it, and tossed him a canister of bug spray.

He let out a yelp as it hit him in the side, and I winced. "You played football? Really?" he asked me, shaking his head sadly.

"I'm rusty!" I retorted, but he just snorted.

"Thanks, but there won't be those fake snakes popping out when I pop the lid, right?" Eric asked me. I rolled my eyes at him and just walked over to Daley.

"Right?!" he asked after me.

"Right," I called back, looking peeved. He blinked in surprise. Huh, maybe he'd never caught me in a bad mood?

Heck, his good attitude was making me annoyed. How could he act like everything was so normal, so fine, when we'd crashed again, anyway?!

It was making me pissed off.

And I wasn't normally so easily peeved by people. So, it was sort of weird for me to get so easily upset over nothing but Eric being Eric and coping in the ways he does.

So, what was up with me? I was being bit-mean....

Oh, well, whatever, right? I'd just help out extra to make up for it, I guess.

"Okay, guys! Now, since this is a new place....and we have different problems....we're all going to have to learn to work together, right? And, right now we need to have a basic camp set up, in case we might be staying here for just as long as before...." Daley stated, as she stood in the middle of the group, taking the position of leader once again--no matter if the others (the new others) were older.

I winced and added 'or longer' in my head, as she trailed off.

Eric raised his hand and waved it. Hopefully he wouldn't say something stupid, or I might just flip out. I didn't want to flip out--that wasn't in my personality, normally.

"Yes, Eric?" Daley asked, already sounding exasperated as she straightened out the off-white dress shirt she was wearing.

"I suppose I'll have to be a camel again?" he asked her, pouting.

Melissa, who was standing near where he was sprawled out on the sand, burst into laughter, followed by Taylor, Daley, and even me.

"Not really. There is some fresh water, in the stream nearby. It's filthy so you guys have to be careful to make sure it's clean, boiled and all. I mean, there's tadpoles and stuff swimming around in it." Daley said calmly.

"Any leaches?" Taylor asked, shuddering.

"No, not that I've seen...." Daley said slowly.

"And, guys? Make sure you listen to Daley about that, trust me." Jackson said, breaking into the conversation finally.

Of course, he wasn't the only silent ones. Daniel was just watching curiously, along with Ian, Kelli, Abby, and the other girl, the girl with dark red hair and very pale skin, Mandy or something.

The older woman whose name I still didn't know, who seemed Native American maybe, was also still silent, along with Chloe. Of course, she looked nice and kept smiling at people weakly, like she was trying to comfort them or something. Chloe on the other hand....if looks could kill, we'd all be dead.

What was her problem?

"Hey, Nathan? Did you have fun spacing out, then?"

I blinked and noticed Daley waving her hand in front of my face. My face went hot, and I was glad for my somewhat darker skin--so I didn't look like some little school girl.

"Um, yeah?"

Daley just laughed softly, and then her face slowly turned back into its serious, set state.

"Okay, Jackson, Melissa? Can you two start a fire while a few of us set up the tents?" Daley asked finally.

Daniel tensed a little, a muscle working in his jaw. I could tell he seemed peeved at Daley for taking total control. I glared at him, and he just blinked at me, wide-eyed. What? Didn't he know how much I cared about Daley?

I didn't want any person--especially a guy--giving her a hard time. Especially a guy that BIG. Seriously, he must be 6'4'' at least. And he was big-boned on top of that, muscular. Scarier than Jackson, almost. Except, he was just annoying to me--not scary, but Daley might think otherwise and I didn't want him scaring her.

"Nathan! Jeez!" Daley exclaimed, yanking on my arm. "Would you stop staring into space?" she asked me, and she led me over to the tents she'd already laid out that just needed to be put together.

"Sorry," I said, ducking my head.

"It's fine. You're just making me worried. Did you hit your head when we crashed?" she asked me, her forehead creased with worry lines as she stared across the mess of plastic, tarp, and poles.

"No, I didn't. I'm fine. Just tired." I explained and she nodded.

"Okay, good, because you had me worried." she told me gently, as she started snapping a shorter pole together, looking down and chewing on her lip as she worked.

Great, I'd scared her. I felt like scum for that, sort of.

Melissa's POV--(30 mins. later)

I let out a quiet sigh as I watched the small fire we'd mashed together, some dry driftwood and dead salt grass, the basics. I'd gathered the lighter stuff and Jacksin had lugged a few logs up to our new camp. I guess it was our new camp, it was by the plane like before.  
Did anyone else here have a serious case of deja vu? I know I do. It's crazy, how alike everything has been. Well, it's sort of been alike. Except, now Ian, Jory, and the Captain are here, as well as Abby, and we have a few new faces: Daniel, Mandy, Chloe, Kelli, and Jennika, the nurse who had been on-board. Or was she an RT? I wasn't sure....  
The only reason I knew RT stood for respiratory therapist was because of my parents and their careers and my facination with medicine in general.

I watched the tiny fire with vague interest, though, as I sat sleepily and boredly in the soft, white sand, bleached even further by the moonlight to an almost silver. This island looked more beautiful after dark, oddly enough.  
Anyway, I'd learned something interesting from spending time on the previous island, from Lex, and I could see it in full effect here.  
The flames that licked at the driftwood weren't just the normal yellow-oranges of a common, everyday fire. No, these had purples, blues, and greens mixed in--because of the sea salt on the wood.  
In a word, it was beautiful. Simple, yet fascinating.

"Wow, everyone around here is tired," Taylor finally commented.

I looked up sharply and saw Taylor sitting on a log, next to Eric, on her right, and Lex, on her left. She swept some of her Californian blonde hair, which was natural and not bleached, amazingly enough, out of her face.

"Yup," Eric responded and he leaned against her, like he was going to try to fall asleep. She let out a disgruntled huff and shoved him off, making him land flat on his stomach.  
"Well, ouch!" Eric exclaimed, scowling as he looked up at her. "I could've, like, landed in the fire!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Your point?" she asked back.

Eric frowned and picked himself up, not coming up with a sharp retort like he normally would. He looked slightly upset by that, actually, even though Taylor had been joking. Well, I thought she'd been joking....

"Good thing we got everything together before dusk--well, more or less," Jackson said, either ignoring the display or oblivious to it.

He looked around and I got a clear profile of his face as half of it was in the light of the fire. He was so handsome, everything about him screamed 'strong' after all--but I didn't let myself dwell on that. I didn't feel like self-inflicted torture today.

I looked around as well, from left to right. From the battered plane, its insides fried so bad from being shocked repeatedly and some that oddly enough weren't working--including the radio, that only continued to let out static and hissing noises, much to everyone's dismay, to the fire pit with the odd-colored bonfire in the center of it, to the high stacked blue tubs near the tents that contained their supplies, and finally to the tents themselves, two of theirs, ragged and torn up, and two from their rescuers, both higher quality, more durable, and brand new.

Daley had already said the boys would be split up and take up two of the tents--i.e. Daniel and Captain Russell would take the one tent, the smaller and trashed light blue one, just so Captain Russell was away from, a. any sharp objects (just in case) and Daniel could 'keep an eye on him'.

How you could keep an eye on a person when you were sleeping was beyond me.

But, at least there would be more room for the rest of the boys in the newer tent. And maybe it wouldn't smell like sulfur in there after the first week. Well, I could only hope....

Boys were just gross, enough said. I hated stereotyping people but boys tended to be messy, or smelly at least.

The girls, on the other hand, were getting to go into the two sperate tents and get some leg room, which had made Eric complain but he'd been ignored, like usual.

And, in one tent would be the people who had tried (and failed) to rescue them: Chloe, Jennika, Mandy, and Kelli. Basically, they had their own little clique going on (well, it felt that way to me, at least) and Jory just was the misfit of the bunch since there wasn't enough sleeping bag room in the other, slightly smaller tent, where Abby, Daley, Taylor, and I were going to be packed in.

"Hey, Mel, you look tired," Eric commented, as he shook the sand out of the hat--that he had reclaimed.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I'm pretty bushed."

He chuckled, for some reason unknown to me. Maybe it was my choice of words....?

"Me, too. I got worn out fighting an uphill battle with mosquitoes." he said dryly, which caused me to laugh softly.

He always said the most random things.

"Well, I think I'm going to retire for the night," Daley said, stretching up her arms as she leaned back against the side of a backpack-filled tub. "Goodnight, guys. See you in the morning--bright and early."

Taylor cringed at the last bit, and then sighed. "Like, how bright and early?" she asked.

"Dawn," Daley responded brightly.

Taylor looked like she'd swallowed a bug, as her face was slightly green.

"Oh, lighten up, Daley. Let them rest for the first day, at least. Ian needs to rest his leg, and Abby does, too. Kelli should probably sleep in, as well." Jackson said calmly, and Daley nodded.

I felt so powerless when I thought of how easily people agreed to Jackson, or Daley, or now Daniel. No one tended to listen to me....

***

I yawned, covering my mouth with my hand, and finally decided to go to bed myself, a little after Daley and Taylor.

"G'night, guys," I said sleepily. I waved to Jackson and Nathan, who sat fairly close by and whacked Eric's hat as I brushed past. "See you all in the morning!" I said brightly….

Jackson's POV--(40 minutes later)

I watched as Chloe, silent still, walked into the girl's tent (one of them) and the flap swirled behind her, fluttering shut.

I blinked and looked back at the fire. I was the last one awake now.

Daley had gone to bed, followed by Taylor who figured she should 'try to squeeze in as much beauty sleep as possible, Mel, who had waved and said goodnight, and almost tripped over nothing, and everyone else had wandered off into their tents to get some shut eye.

I chuckled softly to myself, thinking of how absurd and idiotic Taylor could be, but how funny and smart she could be.

She was a good friend. My exact opposite, almost--but we still were able to be friends, which changed my perspective on a lot of things.

Of course, only Mel could manage to trip over flat surfaces like she did when she was nervous about something or sleepy obviously.

Great, I'd just thought of them both in the same endearing way--again. Truthfully, I did like Mel, I just wasn't used to that....and I hadn't expected it....nor done a thing about it....

Taylor was like my new found sister. I mean, we even looked alike....well, as far as the 'hey, look, there's some white people' thing or the 'NAZIS' thing went. And the lighter hair and eyes didn't help the latter one....a past teacher of mine, so old she'd been stuck in World War II had flipped when I'd walked into class.

She had that wrong, though. I was American. Or Irish. Depends--personally, since I was born in the United States, I considered myself an American.

I yawned wide, pointedly cutting off my rambling, tired thoughts, and just shifted, hugging my knees closer to my body as I sat in the cool sand, almost silvery in the intense moonlight.

I looked up and noticed the almost full moon, shining down on camp. Huh. Well, at least we had some light and wouldn't have to worry about charging batteries too much. I shuddered softly, goose bumps rising on my arms for whatever odd reason.

Full moons didn't bother me like some people, since I wasn't a big fan of superstitions, but something about tonight felt weird, off.

I couldn't put a finger on it either. I touched my cross, feeling stupid, and just mumbled something about 'don't let anything harm us, please' or whatever, too tired to really think what I was doing through.

I got up stiffly, after sitting for an hour or two like this, and I shook out my foot, that felt tingly, like it had almost gone to sleep. I dumped a bottle of sea water onto the fire, the fire hissing and shining with blues and purples before it was put out. Right as I did that, though, I could've sworn I saw a flash of pale color out of the corner of my eye. I glanced over my shoulder and saw nothing.

Dang, I was just too tired, so tired. I was hallucinating, now.

I felt antsy anyway, and I quickly scurried into the boys' tent. I narrowly avoided stepping on Eric's leg as I padded in and found my sleeping bag. I didn't settle for formalities and I just slipped off my sneakers and fell down on the plush material. I didn't need it pulled up around me, being fully dressed like I was.

It just felt awkward to strip down into your boxers with other guys nearby. Not quite right--to me at least.

I still felt hyped, though, so I grabbed up my mp3 player off my nearby backpack, which I had decided to keep close, and put in my earphones. I put the player on random/shuffle/whatever it was called and the song "Night Terrors" started playing, by Wild Sweet Orange. I liked that band, one of the few good ones that I'd found from anywhere in the South.

I didn't like Elvis music, I didn't like country, and I didn't like the Blues or Blue Grass for that matter. I could list more that I found annoying, but why bother?

I shifted onto my back, as the song started playing and I just stared at the roof of the tent. (Did you even call it a roof? Oh, whatever....)

I blinked, as my eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness and my eye sight got better, everything was blurred, covered in a couple of layers of shadow, and fuzzy, almost grainy, but I chose to ignore it. Finally, I closed my eyes hoping to get some rest....

No luck.

I was exhausted, but I still felt too excited to go to sleep. Jeez, what was even up with that?

Oh, well, at least my mp3 player had a full battery and I had some good music. Even if that music, especially the song playing, was a little ironic--here I was listening to a 'pretty', haunting song, with lyrics that barely made sense but were kind of creepy, when I was trying to calm my nerves....

Oh, what the heck? It didn't matter. Music always calmed me down.

_"And oh, does God have a sound? _

_Like a family laughing loud? _

_Or a garden gate opening to _

_a world you never found. _

_But not everything's a metaphor _

_You know something's just are _

_Like the way she slams her bedroom door, _

_that doesn't mean a thing" _

I hummed along softly; bored out of my mind already--probably because my thoughts were whizzing past at about a hundred miles per hour--until Nathan groggily told me to shut up, after I woke him up. I guess I woke him up. Whoops.

You know, I shouldn't have started that anyway. I needed to stop acting like that--you know--pathetic, weak. Singing made me look that way, even humming.

Of course, I didn't really care, either....

_"And oh, does God have a sound? _

_Like a little girl crying out, _

_from the attic of her house, _

_where she hid herself for days _

_But everything's a metaphor, _

_to blood stained over the door" _

As the song ended, I finally started getting tired, but I let the B-52's "Roam" play, as well as R.E.M.'s "Bad Day", just because....well, I don't know why I did.

Finally, I turned off my mp3 player, to save its battery for later, and tried to fall asleep...

* * *

_A/N: I had coffee. Sorry. That explains so much...._

_Yeah, I'm nuts-o. Gotta problem with that? _

_....I'm being threatened by a person named after a rabid dog now.....eh, read and review....all that jazz...._

_Tell me what you think of the plot, story line, portrayal of characters, etc. Oh, and if Jackson doesn't seem like the type to listen to wild 80s-90s female rock bands...._

_Too bad. I enjoy whipping out ancient CDs that belonged to my Dad...._

_...._


	7. Chapter 7: Burn

_A/N: Okay, sorry guys for the long wait! Assuming anyone was waiting..._

_Anyway, I'm back in business again, writer's block mostly gone and a few Fanfics that I'd put on a mini-hiatus are being worked on again-including this one. Hopefully, if anyone has been reading my other Flight 29 Down Fanfic "Broken Life" (more of a laid-back drama and less horrific), I should have another chapter up of that soon. Not sure if that last sentence made any sense, but oh well._

_And, here's a quick thanks to my (f)awesome reviews: _**THANK YOU**_. See? I didn't even put a typo in like all those horribly translated Japanese posters (long story). Also, thanks to Beware of Dogs for allowing me to force you to pre-read this. You are now exempt from the "you must review every chapter clause" even if you continue to tell me everything I write lacks emotion, over and over and over and . . ._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Flight 29 Down, or any of the cast. Even if keeping the whole crew as my personal slaves would be fun (SEASON THREE), I do not have any of them in my basement. Lucky them. _

_Claimer: Chloe, Daniel, Mandy, the other girl, other characters, and plot are all owned by me, but I will share if forced. The setting does not belong to me, mostly because it echoes Cumberland Island far too much. _

_Note: it is a bad idea to hike down a stretch of beach, like that on Cumberland Island, that a few miles long when you wish to catch a boat. Bad idea. Luckily, I was not left behind with the snakes, mutated cockroach bugs, or alligators and showers with an extreme lack of good plumbing and/or running hot water. _

_Anyway, on with the show and all that stuff . . . _

* * *

**_Chapter 7: Burn (DAY TWO)_**

**Lex's POV- **

I opened my eyes slowly and blinked rapidly, at the bright sunlight that streamed into the tent. I covered my eyes with my hands, and then rubbed the sleep out of them. I sat up groggily, yawning, and looked around.

No one else was in the boy's tent-Eric, Jackson, Ian, and Nathan were all out.

Huh. That was odd.

I stretched briefly and got up out of the sleeping bag, which was already gritty with traces of sand. I brushed off myself, feeling the grit on me, too, even though I couldn't see it. Sand always managed to get everywhere, literally. Once I'd tried to put on my shoes and both had been completely filled with sand.

The amount of sand, constantly in everything, could be compared to those furry things, whatever they were called, that had taken over the Startrek ship once, multiplying like crazy and filling up every nook and corner.

You know, it might be considered sad I actually knew that. But my Mom's parents loved that show to death (luckily, not literally, both were still kicking).

I walked out of the tent finally, bending over a tiny bit to fit out of the much too low tent flap that led to the outside (I could only imagine how the other guys, especially Ian with his hurt leg, had managed to get out).

I heard Daley call for me loudly and I looked up, one hand shading my eyes against the still much too bright sunlight.

I saw her over at our new fire pit, Taylor sitting next to her with a completely blank face and dull, drooping eyes, obviously not awake yet, either.

I yawned again and sat down next to my friend.

I looked up at Daley then and noticed her now shorter hair was more wildly curly and frizzy than normal, her smile almost plastered on. Then I remembered, Nathan had volunteered to go with the others-Daniel, Chloe, and Mandy-and then when she'd asked if she could go too, to be with him, (which had made me more than a little jealous, to tell the truth), Daniel had told her four people was enough.

She was probably worried about Nathan, then.

After a few minutes, Mel, carrying a few pieces of driftwood in her arms, trotted back into camp, a bounce to her step. Wow. How could anyone be awake at 7:02 AM? I glared at the black and gray watch on my arm then settled back further against the mossy log I was leaning against. It smelled like brine. _Gross._

Of course, it wasn't dawn and we had all gotten into bed at about ten, or eleven, o'clock, but still.

Maybe I was just more worn out than everyone else?

Well, I had done just about as much work as everyone else, about as much as Taylor. And Taylor had helped a lot more than she normally did, which would mean she was pretty tired, too. Of course, I was a kid. Didn't kids need like ten hours of sleep even if they did nothing whatsoever? That sounded about right.

"Hey, guys," Melissa said softly, a faint smile on her face as she bent down and laid the wood in a little heap on top of the sand.

She moved the planks around, spreading the driftwood all out so it could try in the sun.

"So, what's up?" she asked, clapping the dust off her hands and rubbing them on the front of her pants.

"Not much, just being dead tired and trying not to fall asleep sitting up," Taylor complained, shaking her head a little.

Daley sighed loudly at that. "We're all awake now, Taylor," she mumbled.

"Are you happy about it?" Taylor asked her, her eyebrows raising up in surprise.

"No," Daley replied slowly.

"Then complain about it, show some emotion, or something," Taylor said, as she looked at her finger nails, not paying much attention to anyone anymore. "I mean, you're turning into Jackson."

I snorted and just shifted away from the girls. Melissa also rolled her eyes, obviously not impressed with the metaphor either.

At least Melissa didn't act too dramatic, sure she was "in love" with Jackson, but at least she didn't freak out over tiny stuff like Daley and Taylor did.

Of course, at least Daley's issues were normally problematic for the rest of us. Okay, wait, maybe that wasn't a good thing, but, hey, at least she didn't flip out over getting sand in her hair or chipping her nail polish. And she was trying to take care of everyone in her own way. I don't know. All the girls were nice enough but they were girls. I doubted they would ever make any sense to me, ever. I also bet on the fact once I was attacked by unwanted hormones I'd understand them even less.

Hopefully, I wouldn't turn into a complete moron once I hit puberty. Oh, I hoped I could just be a nerd. Nerds were so much better than idiots who got drunk and partied at every occasion. Of course, if I was anything like Eric or Nathan then I doubted that would ever happen to me, anyway.

**Nathan's POV-1 Hour and 34 Minutes Later **

I looked back over my shoulder, frowning slightly as I realized I could no longer see the camp. I couldn't see the shiny, white-painted plane, the smoking fire, or even the bulky, giant-on-the-outside-but-cramped-on-the-inside tents.

Seriously, those tents were like Hummers. They looked huge, but on the inside it was way smaller than what would seem possible.

"Nathan, would you get your head out of the clouds, already?" Daniel barked behind me, nudging me forward. I ducked my head, sheepish, and sped up a little.

Mostly, I didn't care about not being able to see any of that. I just missed Daley badly already. Why did I volunteer again? Oh, right, I was trying to be heroic again.

When would I learn that was a bad idea times two?

I sighed, and fell into stride beside Mandy. She grinned at me, an almost nervous, stiff grin, though.

"You're scared?" I asked her, as we tromped through a field of ivy and some plant that seemed to be currently trying to devour the island inch by inch. It was all up to our knees almost, up to Mandy's definitely, but she was a tiny thing.

I had no idea where it all came from, but every time I felt it snap against my legs when I pushed through it I wondered what the ivy could be hiding. Personally, I'd rather not step onto a poisonous water snake-but that was just me.

"Um, sort of I guess. It's just so dark and dreary in here. It's kind of creepy." Mandy said with a shudder, stepping over the thick, twisting roots of an oak tree, as we walked by.

I looked up and for the first time realized the sky was completely blocked out by the tree canopy.

Ugh. I could add that to my list of why this forest gave me the chills. It was getting dark in here, the sun blocked out almost completely and the light that filtered down was an odd green color I was learning to hate.

I swatted at another hungry bug, that was way bigger than the average mosquito and it flew off, still buzzing loudly.

I'd never seen bugs like these; they were probably what the average person called a no-see-'um except they were so large they got your attention.

"Hey, look!"

I glanced up, which I suppose was the whole point of Chloe yelling that, and I saw it then, a break in the tree line, a ragged tear that seemed too unnatural to be, well, natural.

I sped up and looked into the break, as we all gathered around. I noticed, first off, a crumbling, ivy-covered stone wall, low to the ground and stained with red mud. The squat wall ran along the tree line, causing a lane to follow it. There were pebbles all around it on the left side-which made me think it was a human made trail. Well, of course it was-a wall didn't just grow out of the ground.

My heart sped up as excitement raced through my veins. _Yes!_ There was someone here, some people, or they're had been. I was hoping for the first. This lane seemed in fair condition, a walking trail, so maybe whoever had built it, cleared the area, was still around.

"I guess we'll be following this, then?" Mandy asked Daniel. She had that same anxious tone to her voice still.

Maybe she was just always antsy.

"Yeah, we are. I mean, a road has to lead to somewhere," Daniel said calmly.

Chloe just huffed, muttering something under her breath, and started walking down the road hurriedly. She was almost around the bend in two minutes flat, while Mandy and Daniel were still talking about something in the background-but their over-analyzing was about as lost to me as the background sounds of the bugs' buzzing, the tree branches rustling as birds flew to-and-fro, and the odd shriek that came from some animal I couldn't name.

I followed Chloe, without thinking about Daniel and Mandy too much. I'd just follow the road to the end, I figured, and if there was a fork I'd stop. I wasn't sure why on earth Chloe had raced off without telling anyone about it, but at least I'd seen her before she got out of sight, her white clothing and light brownish hair no longer sticking out in the dim-lit forest and the slipping and skidding sounds of her sneakers on the pebbles gone.

**Melissa's POV- **

"And, this, this is a dewberry," Lex explained, holding up something that looked like a dark purple raspberry.

I nodded slowly, not seeing much difference between sand blackberries and dewberries. They all looked the same to me.

"And you can eat them?" I asked him.

"Yeah, and the leaves make great tea."

"How do you even know that?" I asked, brushing some of my hair out of my face before putting it back in a loose pony tail.

I swear I might have to hack off a few inches like Daley did; it was always in my face.

"I have a book about different types of edible plants. I brought it just in case," he responded drearily. "I guess I came well prepared. We managed to crash-twice."

"We didn't crash the second time, we landed," I said very softly, tugging down at the hem of my shrunk shirt. Note: dry clean only does not mean putting it in a metal tub and washing it with hand soap.

"Same difference, and now we not only have one half crazy pilot, we have a missing captain, and a missing co-pilot," Lex said very quietly, then put the berries, all the different types and what he called palmetto drupes, onto a worn, blue tarp.

"Well, we're very lucky to have you, Lex," I said, trying to cheer him up a little.

He smiled at me warmly. "Thank you," he whispered, before I heard feet clomping along the steep incline.

A few moments later, Eric came into view, carrying two water jugs with a peeved look on his face.

"Hey, they said I was supposed to bring you two some water on the way." he said, dropping the luckily empty plastic containers on the dirt ground.

He swiped his muddy hands off on the front of his pants and passed us both refilled water bottles.

"Thanks," I said, grateful. I took my bottle and downed about half the water in about two gulps.

"Whoa! Slow down, Mel, or they'll make me bring you more!" Eric said, aghast.

I burst into laughter at that, a little water dribbling down my chin. I quickly swiped it off, but I was still laughing.

"So, what? You want me to get dehydrated so you don't have to walk a few extra feet?" I asked him.

Eric's forehead creased up as he thought that over. "No. I didn't think about that," he said slowly, which made me fall into another fit of giggles, for whatever reason. Maybe one of these plants we were looking at was a marijuana plant. They grew in the wild like weeds, right?

Lex looked at me like I was crazy for a minute, and then shook his head sadly. "They're all losing it," he muttered under his breath. "They finally lost the uphill battle against insanity during high school years."

I patted Lex on the head, still grinning. "Oh, don't worry, in a few years, you'll be right just as crazy and hormonal as us."

He shot me a look. "That's never going to happen, ever."

Eric rolled his eyes then bent over. "I can only imagine what will happen when he starts liking girls. I'm so going to throw that one back in his face," he whispered jokingly, his breath tickling my ear. I swatted at him and rolled my eyes.

I stiffened as a throat was cleared with a loud "Ahem." and I looked up, to see Jackson standing, leaning against a young tree, nearby.

He had a faint scowl on his face, his eyes dark gray and unreadable. His arms were crossed tightly against his chest.

"Daley said for you to move your butt, Eric, and get back to work," he said gruffly, and then walked away.

"Okay, that was weird," Eric said slowly, straightening up from his previous awkwardly bent position, "he looked like he was going to pounce on us, or something."

Lex laughed softly. "I think he looked peeved about something, actually," he insisted.

Eric grinned crookedly. "Like having to spend a couple of hours more than anyone else with your sister? I mean, except for Taylor he must be her new scapegoat."

I let out a laugh, before gathering up the tarp and forming it into a bag-like carrying device. Basically, I just grabbed the corners and lifted.

"Oh, be quiet," Lex said finally, but he was stifling laughter and grinning faintly, too.

**Jacksin's POV- **

I seethed silently, pacing along the beach where the tide hit the sand. I was annoyed, without a clue why. Okay, yeah, I had an idea. I was pretty sure it was just seeing Eric whispering in Mel's ear that had pissed me off.

But, it wasn't like he'd kissed her or touched her, so why was I so upset? Heck, why should I be upset even if he had? It would be my fault for not making a move, no matter how sexist and immature that sounded.

And, why was I worried about Eric? Right, I was an insecure guy-about as common as a unicorn in France.

Jeez.

I grabbed a flat, skinny rock and tossed it out into the lax ocean, it bouncing a few times before hitting something solid, bouncing once more very high, then falling back down.

_Weird. _

I let out a fast sigh then just sat down. I was just being really pathetic. No one was going to date while we were here anyway, right? It would be uncomfortable for all of us, no privacy. Plus, it would just add to the endless drama.

Still, I was anxious, worried-not exactly just about Eric maybe liking Mel or Mel liking Eric. I was just plain stressed, even if my headache was better.

Not completely better, but now it had just chosen a spot on the right side of my head, higher than my temple, to dwell in so it wasn't too horrible, not as pounding. It was just _very _irritating. And it didn't help my mood whatsoever.

I looked over at the improvised fishing rod I'd made early in the morning, stuck deep in the sand, and I grabbed it. I started walking for the tide pools, little ponds, almost, larger than ones I'd seen at least.

I put one of the earring derived hooks onto the line, and then tossed it out.

I sat down on a smooth stone nearby, propping one foot up on a slightly higher slab and just watched the surface of the clear, but dirty-looking water, eyeing the tiny minnows that flashed by in an almost constant stream. Hopefully, I'd get a decent sized fish, or at least a few smaller fish. We were just so lucky we didn't have a diabetic or a hypoglycemic around, otherwise I'd have to be catching a whole lot more fish.

I sighed, my vision going fuzzy and gray after staring at the motionless water for so long. I shifted slightly, making sure for the third time my shadow wasn't on the water.

No fish were biting, at all. Seriously, there were none. So, I suppose we were really lucky we didn't have a person along with blood sugar problems.

I sighed quietly, moving the rod again slightly. I guess I was going to go back empty handed, which was something I really didn't want to do.

I wasn't sure why there weren't any fish taking a chance, there were plenty of minnows so they're must be some larger fish, right?

Of course, I didn't know much at all, if my spear fishing adventure was any example of that . . .

I also had far too much time to think, too, which was making me frustrated. I didn't want to think about my life back home, how long we might be stuck on this island because everything on the plane didn't work anymore, etc. I was just freaking myself out, surely but slowly.

Every thought made me more nervous, scared even and I didn't like being frightened of anything.

**Nathan's POV- **

I finally caught up with Chloe after being forced to jog, realizing there was no way I was going to find her otherwise.

"Hey!" I said, panting as I slowed to a walk beside her. Jeez, she was fast. She was only slightly shorter than me, though, and she was walking quickly-step, step, and step. It was like she had a regulated militarist march going on, or something.

"Hello?" she asked, narrowing her eyes then looking ahead again.

"So, you're Chloe right?"

"And you're the annoying afro dude."

I frowned slightly. "Annoying?"

"Yup, you're completely and totally annoying as heck." She brushed some of her darker brown hair from her face then walked even faster, almost jogging herself.

The wall that she walked along was getting more and more worn, crumbling and cracking until it stopped all together, only some small rocks strewn about and oddly enough an old, rusty sickle.

I ignored her rude comments at that point completely as several houses, huge things, like mansions almost, sprung up into view. They were white-washed, some with their paint peeling, and the closest one had a few seagulls' nesting atop it.

"Whoa . . ." I said softly, trailing off.

My gaze flicked from one point to another, looking for people. I didn't see any. Maybe it was a place only open for one season, or something? Man, I hoped there was someone here-that they were here sometime, at least.

But, my face fell a little, noticing how ivy had started climbing on the side of one house, how broken glass lay in a heap beside another house. Everything seemed so forlorn, so abandoned.

I doubted anyone had been here in a while and I felt so messed up about it. My mind kept telling me no one had been here in months, maybe years, but I ignored it. _Someone_ had to be here, somewhere. Or they'd come back, sometime in the near future.

I sighed softly, leaning against a gigantic tree. I looked up at the slightly cloudy, too bright blue sky. Now I could see it, perfectly fine. But we hadn't found civilization, either.

"You shouldn't have gotten your hopes up," Chloe stated, kicking a glass bottle absentmindedly, looking down instead of at me.

"There wasn't a point, after all," she mused, her straight hair all in her face.

Okay, I agreed with Eric-well, partially. She was a downer, but Daley was my girlfriend so I wasn't about to say she was smoking hot like he had said as well.

Eric needed a hobby, badly.

"Of course there was a point," I snapped finally, "there might've been people here and we might've been rescued. If you don't have any hope, you end up like those people in _Lord of the Flies_."

"Yeah, I'd rather not die," Chloe commented, her voice suddenly quiet. Her forehead creased and her eyes narrowed suddenly, as she looked at one of the houses. "Did you see that?" she asked me softly.

I followed her line of sight but saw nothing, except a smaller house, more of an old shed.

"Come on, let's go see," she whispered and she took off again. I sighed, loudly, and rubbed my hands over my face momentarily. I looked back over my shoulder, but couldn't see Daniel or Mandy. I just followed Chloe, who had disappeared around the side of one of the white-washed houses.

I caught up with her eventually, after breaking into a run. That girl had quite the power walk. As if she could hear my thoughts she said, "I thought you played football. All I did was run track in college and I'm still faster than you."

I frowned at her, but she was just looking dead ahead, eyes bright and focused on something.

The rusty-roofed shed soon came into closer view. The windows were all boarded up, but the door was open, nailed into the wall. I cocked my head to the side, stopping. That was so bizarre. Why would anyone do that?

Chloe just ducked through the doorway and I was about to follow her, before she let out a scream and backed out, jumping behind me like a girl in a horror movie. I paled and glanced back at her, then back at the door. What the heck had scared her so badly?

All that came out was a scrawny, yellowish-tan dog. Its bones stuck out of its side and its eyes were sunken, but far too bright, a dark brown that did unnerve me a tiny bit. All in all, it looked like a Labrador/Pit-bull mix that had run into some bad luck.

"What's so scary about it? It's not even frothing at the mouth, just drooling," I commented. I wasn't even sure the poor beast even had any teeth.

Its tongue chose that minute to loll out, a mixture of pinkish and black. It growled softly and bared its few, yellowed teeth, then padded off weakly, stumbling and tripping over its own paws. I felt really sorry for it, actually.

I finally turned around to look at Chloe, who hadn't responded. Her jaw was hanging open, eyes so wide they looked almost a little buggy. "What's wrong? Are you scared of dogs or what?" I asked finally. She just shook her head and put a trembling hand on my arm.

"Can we please just go?" she asked softly. I just nodded tersely, not all too happy with the fact she was pressed up against my back, but I was too nice to tell her to stop clinging to me. Whatever she had seen had scared her badly. I wasn't sure what it was, though.

**Jackson's POV—(30 minutes later) **

I was still watching the water lazily, my eyes half closed, when I felt a tug on my line. I looked down with a smirk and saw a fish trying to get away; a fish that was about as long as my arm. _Awesome._ I yanked hard on the line and finally got it close, up against the rosy-colored rocks I sat on. Strangely, it wasn't pulling to hard on the line. When I pulled up the line one last time, it almost seemed like the silvery fish jumped right into my arms. Huh. Now we had suicidal fish. That was just sad.

The fish didn't even flop around, either. I put it down on the rocks and it stayed perfectly still. Maybe it was defective? If so, maybe I shouldn't bring it back. I started to guiltily put it back down, but then it panicked wildly. What the freak was wrong with this fish?

I put it back on the smooth stone beside me and it stilled again. Maybe it just wanted to die? I just snorted and waited on it to stop trying to breath or whatever you called what fish did.

I figured it was a good catch for a few hours work, so I got up and picked it up by its tail, ready to trudge home. Before I left, though, I swore I saw something, a flash of something on the water. I just shrugged it off, but the cold chills running down my spine slowly didn't go away.

I was now wondering if the fish had been just too scared to go back into the water. Of course, that was stupid.

As I plodded along the high dunes that stood to my right, using the fishing pole as a walking stick, the dead, large fish in my right hand, I wandered back into camp. Everyone except Nathan, Daniel, Chloe, and Mandy sat around a blazing, burning fire. It felt safer here. But weren't wild animals afraid of fire anyway? Whatever_ it_ had been, it was gone now—whether or not it had just been a creation of my paranoid brain or not.

Melissa smiled up at me, lips stained a blackish color, like after someone ate a few dozen blueberries, and I just smiled back at her, a chuckle rising in my throat. Everything was fine. Everyone was safe. _Right?_

Well, if you counted the fish . . .

* * *

_A/N: Well, I hope you're all scared at this point. I sure am. I never fail to creep myself out when I finally start to think "oh, (c-word), I actually came up with this?" Anyway, please read and review and maybe then I won't drag a dumar into this particular story. Also, then maybe no one will get eaten like poor old John. (His name was John, right? Oh, whatever...) _


	8. Chapter 8: More

_A/N: Well, I went out on a limb this chapter. I'm hoping you all like it. It may be a little TOO fast paced but, who knows? Just send me your responses in reviews, if you would. I'm trying to work in some more depth to this (if you don't know what I mean, yes, you are in the majority) and stuff._

_Anyway, I'll do a few quick bios of the upcoming other characters for your benefit. And, I haven't forgotten the Native American lady, Kelli, etc. They're around! Somewhere . . ._

_Oh, and I'll try not to give away spoilers in these bios . . ._

_More Important Other Characters—_

_Alys: she is very tiny and very slim, with big, pale blue eyes, long, whitish-blonde hair, and a rather nonexistent tan. Excitable and generally rather annoying to new people—acts a little like a mix of Taylor and Melissa, a moderate. _

_Luke: tall, rather average looking but with angular features, dark blue eyes, sandy-colored hair, and paler skin. He's the "other" group's leader, seemingly, and quite calm and rational, but very distrusting and "old-fashioned"._

_Stephen: Stephen, well Stephen could give Jackson a run for his money if he wanted to. Tall, broad-shouldered, hulking—doesn't say most anything except to make spiteful comments, not exactly someone you want to hang around. He's darker-skinned, has longer, blackish hair, and pitch-black eyes—you'll "see" more of him later on._

_Richard: average height, average weight, average in general, has curly brownish hair, amber eyes, and paler skin, wears black-and-silver plastic glasses and always seems a little too friendly-seems to have a low ranking in the group._

_Elli: she's generally just known as an ice queen, very cold and seemingly fond of causing other people pain—Luke doesn't like her, whatsoever, and neither does most other people. She has a fondness for calling Stephen "Stephanie" and Richard "Dick".*_

_Nicole "Nikki": the youngest of the group, seems about thirteen-she has dark brown hair, green eyes with a gold tint, and tan skin. _

___(*Um, I kind of forgot the details for Dawn's character's "looks". Please don't shoot me Dawn! -ducks and covers head- That's why I added more to her personality. Yeah. Hm.)_

_Anyway, I think that covers it. Yeah, hope you enjoy how things keep on going . . . I enjoyed writing this, at least, so that must count for something. And, I think I'm right to assume it's day two...wait, no...three? Dang it. Correct me if I have it wrong. _

**Chapter 8: More (DAY TWO)**

**Nathan's POV—**

I sighed loudly, as I watched Chloe. Daniel and Mandy had finally caught up and Daniel had given us both a taking to. Something along the lines of "You must not leave the group under any circumstances unless I say so, do you hear?" You know, blah, blah, blah. Not to be rude, but I already knew that stuff. I knew better, true. And I hadn't said those things back to him, not wanting to seem like a know-it-all or anything.

That didn't mean I was going to let Chloe run off all alone either. Luckily, she'd gotten a firmer dressing down than me. (Now that I think about it, that term sounding lewd, didn't it? Maybe it was just me.)

Now, Chloe was more or less sulking, sitting with her back against the low wall. Her light-colored hair was all blown into her face and she wouldn't talk to me. She hadn't even called me annoying or idiotic since she'd had the snot scared out of her. She wouldn't even admit to being scared of dogs. Honestly, I had no idea still what had happened to her other than she'd just flipped out over nothing.

After she'd decided to use me as her chosen wall of meat, I'd taken a peek inside that shed. I hadn't seen anything but a collection of cobwebs, a pair of old gardening gloves, some wood varnish cans, and a hammer. Oh, and some newspapers with a water blot the size and shape of a lying down dog.

Basically, there was nothing in there at all frightening. I couldn't understand it.

I just rolled my shoulders and joined Chloe where she sat on the ground. She was still dead quiet, except for the occasional sniffle that made me worried. I mean, she wasn't crying, right? I really hoped she wasn't. I still had no idea what to do with crying girls. They were just so sad and stuff. It made me feel useless.

"Um, so, how are you doing now? You're not still scared of the dog, right? Daniel chased it off," I informed her, nudging her gently.

She just scooted away from me further and hugged her knees closer to herself. She let out another sniffle, and then wiped off her nose with her arm, face still obscured.

Well, _dang it_.

I sighed again and looked around. Daniel was poking around in one of the houses, being careful. Mandy stood outside in the shadows of the house's eves, keeping an eye on him. She shielded her eyes with one hand, a frown on her face. I heard murmurs, those carried on the breeze, but I couldn't make out words.

"Please say something, Chloe," I said finally, eyeing her with worry. She seemed so sad. She seemed to be trembling, a little, too; her sun-kissed skin covered in goose bumps. I frowned. It had to be at least seventy degrees out, maybe closer to eighty or ninety.

"Something," Chloe snapped finally. I grinned a little, feeling a tad bit victorious.

"I suppose two syllables are better than nothing," I stated. "How are you, anyway?"

"I'm fine. Just leave me alone," she hissed at me, glaring at me now.

I blinked in shock, but I mostly felt bad for her. Her eyes were ringed in reddish-pink and her face was a little puffy. She had been crying. I was even more confused, though, now.

"I can't. You're part of the group and I want to make sure you're okay," I said calmly.

"You sound just like Daniel," she mumbled, "and you shouldn't be. I'm the adult."

"You're fresh out of college," I countered. "And I've probably seen more than you, after being on Hotel Tango."

"I doubt that."

"I'd bet on it," I retorted, even though I wasn't sure. Maybe I was just hitting a nerve, over and over, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to figure out what scared her half to death. I mean, it might hurt the rest of us!

"Fine, fine, whatever, I don't even care. Please just leave me alone, okay? I'm not in the mood right now," she said, her voice strained but not completely hostile.

I just nodded and said "Okay."

She shot me an odd look, and then frowned. "You aren't going to probe anymore or bug me?"

"Not currently, no," I said, then rested my chin on my knees and watched a ladybug crawl across the dirt in front of me.

She just huffed and looked away, her gaze falling on Daniel and Mandy, who were both now walking over.

If we were lucky, we were done with this ghost-town. If we were really, really lucky, they'd have found a way off the island somehow or found someone to help us—but, I was beginning to doubt that.

Maybe this was just an abandoned campground or something. Who knows?

Maybe on the other side of the island there were families vacationing in nice, little ritzy coastal vistas with parents in beach chairs sipping Margaritas and kids splashing in the oddly murky water. I could hope, couldn't I?

It didn't seem like a vacation spot, but, hey, maybe there were even some mental environmentalists weeping over trees or something on the opposite side of the island, while skipping showers and hanging with women that didn't shave their legs. I don't think I would care, as long as we found a way off the second godforsaken rock we'd managed to jump to.

"Well, the houses seem stable enough. They were built well. But, there's no sign of recent human inhabitation," Daniel informed us both as he walked over.

Mandy nodded. "But, we might be able to use some of the stuff inside the houses, or use them as shelter. We're not sure, yet, if they're _that_ stable, though."

Chloe just nodded and I just listened, silent.

Daniel tilted his head to the side then, eyes flashing with worry. "Are you okay, Chloe? You look like you've been crying . . ." He trailed off and just watched the brunette with worry.

"I'm perfectly fine," Chloe snapped, but she rubbed one eye right after.

Daniel sighed. "Okay then. I think it's about time we carried on, then. It's just about noon, so we'll stop in about a half hour from now to eat. Let's just try to see a little more of the island before we have to head back."

"Head back?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, we won't stay out at night. I don't want anyone getting lost and frankly I'm not comfortable with it. Some of us may be trained for this sort of thing, but the others aren't and Kelly is already hurt," Daniel said slowly.

I nodded. "That makes sense."

"Then let's move," Daniel said.

**Eric's POV—**

"This is disgusting," I said slowly, pressing the red-and-black bandanna closer against my mouth and nose again.

"Just be glad I let you borrow my scarf," Daley muttered, as she washed clothes in the bin nearby.

"Yeah, yeah," I hissed, and then I just held my breath again and continued to gut the fish.

I'd de-scaled it, ripped out the tiny bones, etc. I was almost done, but I was beginning to get queasy. I didn't like this fishy smell, whatsoever, and the heat of the sun, beating down on camp, was causing this fish Jackson had caught to smell like salmon-flavored cat food. It was beyond nasty.

"And make sure you get all those slimy scales off," Taylor informed me cheerily, where she was lounging in the sun, working on her tan while charging the batteries like always. Some days I truly wondered if we'd ever left.

If it wasn't for Ian, sitting near the plane talking with Jory, and the Captain near the tent talking to himself I would have thought we were still at Camp Flight 29 Down as Abby called it.

Speaking of Abby, she was around here somewhere. I looked around, as I grabbed the handle of the bucket the fish guts were in, planning on dumping it somewhere far, far away—like the ocean. (Wait, that would attract sharks right? Dang it! Then where was I going to put the trash?)

I finally spotted the half-Asian girl sitting about a mile down the beach leaning against the tree. She looked like a speck, but the beach ran in such a straight line I could see her from here.

"Wonder why she get's excluded from working," I muttered to myself, glancing around again. Well, if I got this bucket dumped soon I could come back and pretend to work while staring at Taylor. That sounded like a plan.

"You seriously need to stop talking to yourself, it's creeping me out." I winced at that particular booming voice, which seemed to be coming from right behind me. I turned, coming face-to-chest with the Hulk that most people called Jackson.

"Talking to myself?" I asked him, looking up. He was scowling, like always. He seemed to hate my guts, still. I don't see why, I cleaned the fish! People needed to stop holding grudges. Or, according to Melissa, I needed to stop being mean to people. And, she actually did say mean, as if I was some five-year-old kindergartener that didn't share his crayons.

"Yeah, talking to yourself," he grumbled finally, then shoved past me.

I huffed, while trying to make it seem that I didn't almost go flying into the bushes. (I did have some dignity, not much but some.)

"Do you have to get handsy with everyone?" I yelled after him, which made him throw something at me. I ducked and it hit the tree behind me with a metallic clang.

. . . I didn't even want to know. Let's hope it wasn't his _SAW 106_ type knife. (I figure at some point the sequels would get to that point. Why not? Freaks like watching limbs get hacked off with chainsaws.)

I heard Taylor let out a laugh and I turned to her, bristling. "What?"

"You know, maybe if you didn't bug him he wouldn't be annoyed by you so much," she said, with a fake thoughtful look on.

I frowned, wondering what she was getting at. "Of course, you being you, it probably wouldn't matter."

I shot her the bird then walked off. I heard her let out an indignant snort, but I didn't care. I never claimed to be a gentleman.

**Abby's POV—**

_Day: 30, 1:24 PM_

_You know, I'm beginning to wish the castaways kept their tapes. Not because they're important or anything, other than if they wanted to show their children or whatever. Assuming they live to have kids. But, now I feel like I might need a release of some sort-a way to vent. I don't feel like getting all teary around people, or showing emotion at all. Not know. So I didn't go whining to Melissa, like most people around here seem to do._

_I kind of wish I could go back to being that kind of girl, even though I know I can't. Well, whatever. I'm stronger for it. But, I still wanted to vent, so I started writing this. Not exactly the most normal thing for a person, like me, to do, but I felt like I needed to. I don't know._

_You know, maybe I should start at the beginning?_

_The reason I needed to vent was mostly because things are weird for me now. Ever since we got on that plane, the plane that crashed us here, I've felt weird. I don't know how to explain it, honestly. My legs just felt heavy and I felt glued to my seat. My vision was blurry, but even when I closed my eyes I could still see things, things that I knew weren't there. I'm not having hallucinations, well, I don't think. I just felt a presence and I still do and it's scaring the snot out of me. I don't even know what to do. I don't want to be crazy; I don't want to lose myself completely—but maybe I just set myself up for it. I don't know. I just don't want to be like Captain Russell. I miss Bob being his old self and now that he's crazy I can barely walk up to him, because he scares me. I don't know how else to put that, either. He just does scare me, even if I'm sure he's not dangerous._

_I wonder if anyone else feels like me, now. Like, they see something on the outskirts of their vision, just there. Something that is just there, but isn't. It's like something our Psychology teacher would throw on us. I'm also worried about Jackson. He seems to be having trouble, too. I don't know what his problem is, but I'm just scared for him as well. He seems jumpy, and he keeps complaining about having a headache. Well, not complaining, but popping Tylenol like your life depends on it and letting out long, drawn out sighs when things get loud is about as close to complaining as I've seen him get._

_Uh, well, anyway, I guess I'll end this now. Hopefully people (Eric) will respect my privacy and I won't have to wring any necks._

_~Abby_

I stopped writing and just stared at the pages of the beat-up, tawny-leather journal I'd found until the words blurred together into a gray smudge. I wasn't even exactly sure it was Day 30, but I went with it. Luckily, I'd also found a watch and started wearing it. I never wanted to not know what time it was again, which was rather pathetic. But, when you don't know what the time is a few moments can feel like an eternity and when I was out in the jungle, lost, I'd felt like I'd been alone forever.

I don't know. It was just a thing I'd thought of randomly after I'd stumbled upon an unclaimed watch.

More importantly, I was feeling very girly at the moment, writing in a diary of all things. Oh, well. I'd needed it, and I could call it a journal if I wanted. (As if that somehow toned down the girly factor.) I just put down my pen and huffed softly. I closed the leather book and tied together two leather strips hanging off it in a fringe to close it, keeping the pen inside. I laid it in my lap, and then just watched the waves crash into the white beach. Maybe we'd get rescued, again. Maybe we'd run out of our luck. Who knows?

Let's just hope whatever was affecting me didn't affect anyone else, because if it did—well, I'd just hope and pray it didn't, because I was beginning to get scared.

I heard some rustling behind me and the hairs rose on the back of my neck. I know, I was paranoid, but, jeez, why were my hands sweating? This was insanity. I swallowed and turned around, only to see Melissa stumble out of a tangle of vines. The strong smell of honey-sweetness hit my nose and I made a face, as yellow-white flower petals showered me. I flicked one off my wrist and just quirked an eyebrow at Melissa, who was breathing rather heavy. That girl needed to get into better shape.

"Abby?" she asked me, watching me with a confused expression.

"Yeah, what is it?" I asked, as I continued trying to hide the leather bound journal behind me, not wanting her to see for some odd reason.

"Um, lunch is ready, you hungry?" she asked me.

I just nodded curtly and gripped the book tighter, as I stood. "Yeah, I'm starving, lead the way," I said calmly, as I stepped into line with her.

She continued to look at me with puzzlement, until I let out a loud sigh. "What is it?" I asked in exasperation.

"Nothing, I was just wondering why you hiked all the way out here, with a hurt leg," she said, mumbling out of embarrassment.

"I wanted to get away," I said truthfully and she just nodded.

"I know how you feel," she said, as she started walking ahead. I followed her closely, but I just rolled my eyes.

"I highly doubt that," I said, plucking more petals out of my hair.

"Well, I mean, it can get a little crowded in camp, with everyone, and there's new people," Melissa began, but I held my hand up.

"Can we not talk right now?" I asked her, quietly.

Her eyebrows went together as her face scrunched as she obviously tried to figure out why I didn't want to talk, but she just nodded.

We were halfway back to camp, well, maybe a little bit more than half way when I heard a startled cry in the distance.

My blood went cold and my mind immediately ran through the possibilities of who it might be.

"Lex?" Melissa asked in disbelief, her eyes immediately dark with worry. She frowned for a long moment, and then just turned towards the sound. "We should go see what's wrong," she said quickly, already breaking into a jog.

I sighed and limped after her, as quickly as possible.

**Jackson's POV—**

I froze as I heard a loud yell, nearby. I had been sawing at a young sapling, trying to cut it down, to be used to shelter or firewood or whatever, when I heard it.

I frowned and looked around. I didn't see anyone, but I was already feeling claustrophobic after being enclosed tightly by large, towering trees, younger trees, shrubs, and thick bamboo.

I dropped the large camp knife and quickly raced off, heading for the sound. Lex had passed me earlier, saying he was "Just going to look around." and I'd just nodded, not really paying attention. Maybe I should have. I mean, he hadn't had anyone with him, not Daley or Melissa or even that woman that had a skin color that matched Daniel's or Nathan's but seemed part Native American—yet, I couldn't remember her name.

I shook off those thoughts, as I shoved through the thick undergrowth and finally broke into the clearing, spear trailing behind me. I wasn't dumb enough to go anywhere where there was screaming without a weapon. I spotted the back of Lex's head, but the chaparral blocked the rest of my few. I cussed loudly, mad I couldn't see what was hurting him, and just slammed forward, breaking through and getting in front of him.

I glanced back at him immediately and eyed him up and down. There was no blood, not weirdly twisted extremities, not bruises—he seemed fine at first glance, maybe a little dirty but fine.

His eyes had gone huge, though, when I stepped out in front of him. "Jackson, don't look behind you, please, just come forward and follow me as I back up," Lex whispered very softly, his voice monotone. He continued to look terrified and I was getting pissed at whatever was scaring him so badly.

Sadly, I didn't follow his insctructions as he backed up carefully, halfway into the thicket already. My jaw probably dropped as I saw what was behind me. How the heck had that even gotten here?

A pair of narrowed, amber eyes watched me and a low growl came from the animal's throat. It was a leopard—well, I think. I couldn't tell what the freak it was, actually. It was about the size of a leopard, but its pelt was oddly colored, a dark, spotted brown. Like the dirt-colored version of a black panther.

I didn't really care, though, since its claws were digging into the dirt, clear as day, and its yellowed fangs were bared. _Holy freak, I'm in deep . . ._

I didn't get to finish that panicked thought, as it decided to lunge forward at that moment. It sailed through the air with enough grace it almost made me _almost_ feel guilty for bringing up my spear, that had been held behind me (well, in front of me if you counted only my shoulders and head were turned).

The animal's shocking-yellow eyes widened and its jaws parted, as it slowly went limp around the sharp point that had been driven up through its rib cage and out its back. I heard Lex let out a whimper, but I ignored him for now. Making sure that _thing,_ whatever it was, was dead was currently my first priority.

I dropped the spear and the beast landed on the dirt ground with a quiet thud. Its jaws closed and I saw that its teeth poked out a little, kind of like a Saber Tooth Tiger or whatever I'd learned about in elementary school. That was just plain weird.

I took out my hand-crafted spear and it made a slightly, wet sucking noise that made me almost gag. That was just gross. I could admit to that.

I saw blood about halfway up the thing and a little smidgen of gore and I about lost my breakfast. I tossed it away and just made a disgusted face. I'd find a new one. I didn't feel like washing off that one.

"Jackson? Are you okay?" The tiny voice broke me out of my thoughts.

I turned around fast enough to get whiplash and looked over Lex again. He seemed unharmed. Good. My heart rate started to slow down as I leaned against a nearby tree, wet moss squelching against me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said softly, as I noticed a bush shaking to my right, making quiet a racket. I hissed. _Not more of them._ I was about to pull out my other knife, when Melissa bounded into the clearing, her eyes wild and scared. Abby followed her at a slower pace, not looking too worried.

"Are you two okay?" Melissa asked us, and then her eyes fell on the big cat that was currently lying at my feet. I felt like Tarzan. Jeez.

"Okay, what is that?" Abby asked her voice oddly high-pitched.

I shrugged, and then glanced at Lex. "Do you know?" He probably did know. I bet he watched Animal Planet all the time.

"I have absolutely no idea, let's just get out of here," Lex said in a shaky voice.

I noticed finally that he was trembling and I immediately felt bad. I saved him, yeah, but I also ended a particularly large _kitty _right in front of him and that was probably rather frightening.

"That sounds like a good idea, bud," I murmured softly. I glanced at Melissa and waved her over.

She nodded and walked over to me, easily side-stepping the still-bleeding monster that had fallen on one of my sneaker-clad feet. At that realization I noticed my foot was going numb so I backed up a step. "Take him back, with Abby," I whispered softly. "I'll be right back in a minute; I just want to take a closer look at _that_. To make sure it's dead."

Melissa rolled her eyes. "I'm rather certain it's dead. You probably stabbed it through the heart."

I frowned. "Please just do it," I muttered.

She finally just sighed and wrapped an arm around Lex's shoulders. "Come on; let's go show Daley you're okay. If we don't right away she might go bonkers on us."

Lex let out a nervous laugh and followed her. Abby just limped after them, not saying hello or goodbye to me—or paying any attention to me at all.

I sighed quietly, and then knelt down by the animal. It was definitely dead; which proved my aim was a little better than I'd given myself credit for. Of course, it had literally been point blank or whatever.

I just stood back up, now with dirty knees, and looked around where I was standing. It was an open clearing, without a weed to be seen, which was rather odd, if you thought about it. There was a cliff face nearby, not rocky and I could hear water running so it probably wasn't a hazard like the thing Melissa and Taylor had fallen off of.

I frowned at the bad memory, and then started to walk back, leaving the dead animal alone. It would decay fast enough in this heat. Even the birds were back; chirping happily like they were pleased that oversized housecat that lay behind me was dead.

I still felt like I'd missed something, though. I mean, for one thing, how did a cat that big live on an island? Were we somewhere on the mainland? I didn't know anything. Hopefully, though, I hadn't just killed the last of a dying species, because then those PETA people would be all over me when I got home. _Assuming I get home . . ._

Maybe that was the least of my worries, though. You know, the whole before-last thought about animal activists . . .

And, just to note, I do believe I might start being even more paranoid than ever.

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_A/N: How'd you like _that_ twist, huh? Hated it? Well, feel free to say so. I have some nice thick skin at _this_ point in my life so I'll probably take it with a grain of salt, just have a _POINT_ to your critque please-don't just say "**I hate it**." Since, ya know, I hate that. Otherwise, thanks for reading this far! And please leave me a review so I know someone is actually reading this . . ._

_Note: I may come back later and edit stuff, add more detail, yada, yada, yada, so, yeah. Don't be surprised!_


	9. Chapter 9: The Beast

_A/N: To claim this wasn't a filler chapter would be a total and complete lie, sadly enough. I mean, it's fine, but not my normal action-sequence I do because I'm trying to get the chapters shorter so everyone can read them quickly. My only ("fawesome") reviewer this time around was Dally2, who said that every time she tries to read this something has her getting up to do something else and then she doesn't remember where she left off because it's so long-more or less. So, I'm trying to cut back. Just to note, the title of this chapter is a slight bit of foreshadowing. Whoever can guess the quote get's a gold star. _

_Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own this, capiche? I do not own the cast of Flight 29 Down, the director, the writers, or the set. I also do not own the vampire costume I wore Halloweens ago, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or a Psychics textbook. I do own, however, Stephen (with an phhh and not a eeev sound), Luke, and Alys-who you should meet in the upcoming chapters. I do not own Elli, Nikki, or Richard. _

_Note: whoever gets what Rev. 316 means will be called a racist homophobe by the President for no reason. Sorry. _

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_**Chapter Nine: The Beast**_

**Jackson's POV—**

To claim I was beginning to get a little shell-shocked was an understatement. My hands were shaking a little at my sides, which bothered me-well, annoyed me. I didn't act like this! Of course, random Ice Age animals didn't tend to jump out at me either. I mean, I'd seen a cougar-I'd found one dead on one of my foster family's land, one of the ones I'd been with for about a month up near Portland-but that hadn't been a cougar. I didn't know what that had been. Some weird mutated leopard? I mean, mountain lions didn't live in tropical regions and didn't leopards just live in Africa? I had no clue. Even Lex had been stumped.

I wasn't liking this at all-not at all.

I felt more anxious as we walked down the steep dune that let to camp, csand slipping away uncomfortably under my feet. I wanted solid ground right about now. Solid ground would be nice. More sure. Like everything _wasn't_ about to crash down around me.

Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but hey, I had dark crimson blood staining my shirt (which stuck to me uncomfortably) at the moment and maybe a little gore. I was entitled to a flash of panic.

Finally, after we had totally left behind the humid, sure-to-trip woods and entered bright sunlight, instead of the spooky, muted green light of the woods, I felt safer. Of course, I still felt like amber eyes were probably watching me. It would be just my luck if that monstrosity had a mate that held grudges really well.

I'd been looking back at the forest with narrowed eyes, worry tugging at me again when I heard a meek voice ask, "Jackson? Are you okay?"

I turned back around and saw Melissa, looking up at me with her big, warm brown doe-eyes. She looked unusually pale and my throat went a little dry. I wasn't being such a good protector, was I? I had shielded Lex and killed that beast, but I hadn't stopped the others from seeing that. I wasn't sure if Melissa wasn't terrified of me now. I'd_ killed_ a 250 lb. monster. I'd be scared of me, too.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said quietly.

She nodded tensely, then looked over at Abby and Lex who were already in the midst of camp, obviously being interrogated by Daley, who kept giving me slit-eyed looks. Yikes. She was going to either have my head on a silver platter or hug me until I choked. I never could tell with her.

"You know, what you did was really brave," Melissa informed me, after a moment's pause. I didn't exactly hear her, since I was beginning to hear a shuffling behind me.

"Um, not really," I mumbled, then whipped around, hands already in fists.

I came nose-to-nose with a very startled looking Taylor, her blue eyes bright and her hair unruly as ever "From the humidity." as she'd told me. "What?" she asked, pushing down my raised right fist. She then shrieked very loudly and jumped away, making me jump as well and tilt my head to the left side trying to rid my head of the sudden ringing I earned from that.

"What?" I asked her back, stunned.

"You're all like, bloody, what did you do?" she asked back, looking vaguely greenish as she glanced down at my gray shirt in disgust.

"I'll tell you when I tell Daley," I said in response, before I heard a throat clear and I turned my head again to see the red-head in question at the bottom of the hill.

"I think it would be good for both our sakes if you explained-now." Daley looked fierce, arms crossed and blue eyes on fire. Double yikes.

I walked down hesitantly, Melissa and Taylor at my heels (which felt awkward, admittedly).

I finally saw Lex. He was standing mostly behind Daley, eyes dark and whole body a little more slumped than usual. _Why had they ever allowed a ten year old to go on a trip like this? _I wondered about that, as I came to a halt in front of them.

"Jackson, explain," Daley ordered simply, frowning a little after she was done speaking.

Everyone was looking at me again, even Ian and Jory who sat together near the plane, that Black/Native American woman whose name I _still_ couldn't remember, and Kelli, who was sitting in front of the girls' tent, arms wrapped around her legs. I _hated_ the limelight. I did explain, though, to the best of my ability-which was not very good. I wasn't good at describing stuff and it took me a few times to tell it without leaving something important out, which Lex caught me on. Next, the others who had been there (Lex included) told their part. After that, Daley looked satisfied, Taylor looked scared witless, and Abby was humming "the Great Beyond" which I hadn't heard since 1999. I think for some reason she thought that was funny, but I just frowned at her sourly. She just stuck her tongue out at me and stalked off. _Whatever, she can act immature if she wants, everyone has their ways of _dealing_, supposedly. _

**Nathan's POV-(Four hours later)**

I'd lost track of time, but I was well aware that the sun was sinking down and my feet were killing me. The forest had more or less plunged into darkness as we trekked back and I was now freaked out, which was pathetic, but some of the sounds alone were freaky. Some of them were like bird calls, owl hoots, frogs croaking-you know, the normal-others were like women screaming, something being choked, and a long, drawn out howl. I shivered as I felt mist start to clog up my vision and everything around me. Well, everything had been cloaked in fog this morning, it made sense it started at night.

Still, it was creepy. My skin was covered in goose bumps by this point and I was just trying to focus on staying with the group and thinking about the day.

We'd moved on, following another semi-visible road that led us to nowhere, just a weird circular formation of rocks, a tiny one. It was like some midget's version of Stonehenge. And, of course, there had to be something totally cryptic etched into the largest stone: Rev. 316. I wasn't sure what that meant, nor did I care, still. Well, okay, that was a small lie-my interest was piqued. I wanted to figure out what this island's dirty little secret was. I wanted to know what had happened to the people who had lived here, why that road led to mini-Stonehenge, all of it.

I sighed and wiped off my forehead again. I was sweating like a race-horse and my feet felt like lead. I was ready to be back. "Are we walking in circles?"

"No, of course not," Daniel snapped. His good mood at evaporated about halfway through the day and I winced, slowing down until I was in step with Mandy, who had stayed relatively quiet throughout the rest of the day. Of course, Chloe hadn't said much either. She'd just been a nervous wreck, weirdly enough. I'd never seen her lose her cool and now she was on the verge of another panic attack it seemed.

"Nathan?" I heard Mandy's quiet question so I turned to her, but she was facing the other way.

"Yeah?"

"Never mind," she mumbled, brushing back some of her reddish-brown hair. I sighed and just continued to plod along.

"What's wrong?" I asked finally.

"Nothing," she repeated, then sighed. "It's a little quiet isn't it?"

I blinked and listened closer. There was no sound. Nothing at all. How weird. I guess all the critters had decided to go to bed, or the mist blocked out the sound. Whatever was the reason, everything was quiet. It was like hitting a dead zone when you were on a cell phone, without any static. _Odd._

"I guess so," I agreed, walking a little closer to her. The fog was getting thicker and I didn't like it whatsoever, the decrease of sound was worse, too. All I could hear was Chloe stumbling behind me and Daniel hacking away at the thick undergrowth ahead of me.

**Daley's POV-**

I was pretty much just wringing my hands, beyond worried. Night had fallen quickly, the sun suddenly sinking below the horizon like a dropped red ball of fire. Camp was a beacon, with fog thick on every side. I couldn't even see the silvery beach far off. Everything was enclosed, but I could at least still hear the shrill whines of this one bird and the croaking of frogs nearby, so at least it wasn't too spooky. It was still pretty creepy, though. No other night had been so dark, so foggy and obscured. Of course, it was a new moon tonight-the sky was black, just dotted with stars that showed through the gray, hazy clouds that covered most of the sky like some kid's ratty blanket.

"Daley, are you going to stare at the woods _all_ night? Your flashlight is blinding me in here!" Taylor hissed at me, poking her head out of the girls' tent.

I huffed. "It's a lantern and, yes, until Nathan gets back. Just lay facing away from the light or something."

"Fine, but I'm not happy about this."

I heard a shuffle and Kelli yelped in surprise, saying "_Ouch_! That was my hand!" and then, finally, silence fell again.

I crossed my legs and tried to shift on the picnic blanket I was sitting on, one side like a tarp and the other soft polar fleece. I sighed, reclining on my hands and trying to get comfortable somehow as I waited up. The only people other than me that were still awake were Jackson and Melissa, who were talking in hushed whispers off in the distance, the fog making them look like they were hovering without feet.

"Day?"

I stiffened in surprise, almost jumping, then turned around to see Lex. He looked younger than he was, rubbing at his eyes, his hair all messy. I grinned at him a little, and brushed his hair out of his face. "What is it, little bro?" I asked him. I thought he'd gone to sleep already. It was pretty late. Maybe eleven already.

"I was wondering when you'd go to bed. I don't like you being up when I'm not. I can't keep an eye on you that way," Lex said lightly, but I could tell he seemed a little anxious, worried. I sighed softly and just nodded.

"I'll go to bed in a minute, Lex. I'm trying to wait for Nathan, Chloe, Daniel, and Mandy," I said quietly, as I saw Jackson and Melissa walk back towards the tents, just past Lex. Jackson's hands were stuffed in his pockets and he seemed to be watching Melissa intently. Huh. Maybe Mel would get her wish after all.

"Okay, but don't stay up too long. You don't want Taylor and Eric complaining about you not doing chores tomorrow because you're too tired to do them," Lex murmured, then yawned, covering his mouth with one hand.

"I won't. Go on back to bed, buddy," I ordered.

"Fine, but wake me up again when you're going to bed," Lex said then started walking off before I could respond to that.

I decided I wasn't going to wake him-he needed his sleep after all, he was only a kid.

"Goodnight, Daley!" Melissa whispered to me, before she slipped into the girl's tent. Jackson continued to stand there, watching the closed tent flaps with a certain focus I hadn't seen in our once-upon-a-time leader. Finally, he shook it off and walked over to me.

"If you want, you can go ahead and go to sleep and I'll wait up for them," he offered, voice deep as always.

I shook my head quickly. "No, no, I'll do it."

Jackson just nodded slightly, not arguing, and walked off, disappearing into the dense fog before he even reached the boys' tent. It was getting creepy out here. I frowned and just picked up a smooth rock, about ten inches in diameter, and held it in one hand, lax in my lap. Just in case. It felt rough on one side and I looked down, shining the light on them. A series of numbers were etched into the pale stone, all ones. How odd. They, the ones, were all spaced out, actually, in pairs. So, elevens I guess. Whatever. It was probably just by mistake-after all, ones were just downward slashes as it was.

I finally heard a ruckus nearby, on the edge of the forest and a little to me left. "Hello?" I asked, warily.

"Finally! I thought we were going in circles!" I heard the jubilant voice of Mandy before the darker-haired redhead stepped out into the glare of the lantern light. I grinned at the petite, short girl as she bounded over.

"I'm so exhausted," she said, wiping off her forehead and plopping down in the sand.

Chloe came out from behind her and rolled her eyes, before stalking back off into the fog towards the tents. I sat closer to the edge of my seat, as I waited on the others. A second later, Daniel stepped out of the murky woods, looking slightly grim but a little more upbeat than before.

Nathan followed him a second later, looking completely bushed. I jumped up to my feet and raced over. He looked up, surprised to see me. "Day, why are you-"

He didn't get to finish, because the next second I had him in a tight, probably slightly choking, hug. "Up?" he finished, breathlessly, as I released him.

"You thought I wouldn't stay up for you?" I asked then swatted at his afro'd head. "Idiot!" I said, joking.

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_A/N: Hit me up with a review, pleeease? I only got one last time, but tons of hits! Jeez. _


	10. Chapter 10: Contact

_A/N: So, hey guys. Sorry for taking so long to update. I hope you all like this. Things will be picking up now-which means ACTION is coming! And, also, I would just like to thank my reviewers; which include Dally2, f29dwnaddict, and many others. Thanks guys! I have a favor to ask all of you, though. Don't hate me about it. So I entered in this contest and was hoping you guys might vote... I wrote a Twilight fanfic (I know, I know, the books and movies suck but I was trying to make a "better" version)...called Betrayal Isn't a Sin...and entered it in the Slash Backslash contest (which is held on this site). You can Google it. Vote for anyone you like, since the contest is awesome (if disturbing to a large number of people-mostly guys, but hey I'm a girl so whatever). It's slash, basically. Innocent and only T-rated (mine, at least). But, hey, wouldn't you like to help an author out? :) _

_**Chapter Ten: Contact**_

**Jackson's POV—**

"_You got wires, going in. You got wires, coming out of your skin. You got tears, making tracks. I got tears that are scared of the facts..." _

Amazingly, I was waking up to the blaringly loud sound of Athlete's _Wires_, which was just plain weird. I groaned, eyes still closed, and covered my ears with my hands. Why the heck was music playing this early, anyway?

"Jackson, turn that off!" Taylor shrieked somewhere far away, her voice obviously muffled.

_Turn what off? I just woke up, Blondie. _

What can I say? I wasn't exactly a morning person.

I blinked; vision blurred, and felt around. I didn't feel a lump under me, and I couldn't feel the distinct shape of my MP3 Player so it couldn't be me, right? Unless I'd been sleep walking previously and I'd never done that before.

"I didn't do anything!" I yelled back, finally, as I managed to find my own MP3 Player.

I heard someone shift around beside me and I felt something hard hit my lower legs, twice. What the heck was that?

"You idiots, it doesn't matter, just _shut up_ both of you!" Eric grumbled behind me, and then tried to kick me again.

Weird, I hadn't heard him call anyone an idiot yet I believe I'd just heard Daley call him that_ a lot_.

I huffed and slammed my hand down on his side. He yelped, and just scowled at me.

"Stop that," I hissed angrily.

It wasn't my fault and personally I didn't like being yelled at and kicked when I woke up in the morning. It was too familiar, honestly. I hated the fact it was, but what could I do? As long as none of these bozos decided stupidly I was their punch dummy I should be all right (and they shouldn't have broken limbs), but I didn't enjoy the anxiety it got out of me—if that made any sense at all.

I sighed loudly, getting an evil glare out of Eric, and looked around, sunlight nearly blinding me as Lex slipped out of the tent. Oh, so he was awake. Huh. Nathan was still sound asleep, though, and he didn't seem to be about to wake up any time soon—luckily. I was used to Taylor's whining and Eric's sniping but I swear if I had to deal with another one of Nathan's moments I'd pull my hair out.

"I found it!" Lex exclaimed happily, but not before Ben Folds' _Fred Jones Part 2_ had started playing, just as loudly.

Were we really arguing that long? Great, now everyone was probably awake. I was going to get s_laughtered_. Well, assuming anyone had the guts to try. Eric kicking me was about the only actual violence that had been directed at me since we'd crashed on the second island.

"Found what?" Eric asked behind me, dumbly. "And chief could you maybe stop pinning me down? I swear I won't use my awesome kickboxing skills on you."

I rolled my eyes and stood up.

My back, of course, hit the tent and I once again felt claustrophobic in here. But, hey, I didn't get wet when it rained, right?

I then snuck out of the tent best I could and tried to be extra quiet to make up for the loud wakeup call that had probably somehow been my fault.

"You found my MP3 Player?" I asked curiously, peeking out of the tent.

Lex seemed confused. "No, it's something else," he mused, looking over a tiny, square object that was some pale sea-blue color. I frowned.

"What is it?" I asked curiously, my view obstructed slightly by his hold on it.

"An iPod," Lex replied curtly.

"Oh," was the only response I could offer. "Well, do you know who it belongs to, Lex?" I asked after a beat.

"No idea. Whoever it was is lucky, though. If it had rained it would've been ruined," Lex said.

I almost chuckled when I heard Eric say, "Luckily."

I yawned, then just waited for Lex to put the iPod away and go back to sleep. I didn't want him being out here alone after the attack.

"But whoever who owned this, maybe one of the rescuers," Lex began, while looking over the object, "must have just got it—it only has about three songs programmed into it."

I frowned again. "What?"

"Yeah, there's a playlist, it has a few songs on it, the two you heard and another song called _What Sarah Said_," Lex informed me.

I rubbed my jaw, beyond confused. Those were some of my favorite songs after all. It was natural for me to wonder about who had my same taste in music—even if the girly-looking iPod (it was this light blue-green color, after all) wasn't something I would have ever picked out. "What else is on there?"

"Counting Crows' album _August and Everything After_ and a few songs by Wild Sweet Orange," Lex admitted. I blinked, but this time didn't say anything. My mouth was dry. Because, once again, two of my favorite bands. Jeez. _What's going on around here?_

Several seconds later, Lex cleared his throat. "Earth to Jackson?" he joked weakly, eyes looking me over as if dealing with someone with questionable sanity. I then realized I'd been gawking at the iPod, jaw slightly unhinged. Of course I was. I always had to act very "le freak".

"Sorry for spacing out," I said finally, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. "You go on to bed, okay? It's—what time is it?"

"Six fourteen," Lex replied, checking his watch.

I nodded slowly. "Go on back to bed. Um, can I keep an eye on that iPod, though? You know, make sure it gets back to its owner?"

Lex narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but then just handed it to me. "Okay. Just don't lose it."

"I won't," I promised.

I wasn't about to—I wanted to find the owner, of course. I had to have proof I wasn't going crazy, either. I mean, if I started asking about who owned a sea foam blue iPod I wanted to have said iPod at hand to show what I was talking about.

Lex just nodded and yawned, too. He rubbed some sleep out of his eyes, then turned back to the tent. "See you later, Jackson. Try to rest or something."

I didn't feel like resting, though. I was wide-awake now, wired. I thought over what I was going to do while everyone else was asleep. I decided on cutting down some bamboo, maybe for a new shelter (that I could fit in), and picking up some firewood.

I put the iPod in my jacket pocket, and walked off—grabbing the camp knife before I got too far away and headed into the woods.

I froze at the edge and thought over yesterday. I could almost feel twin yellow-amber eyes watching me again and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. I looked around cautiously, and then went back for my spear as well. It never hurt to be careful, now did it?

I wandered through the woods, using my spear as a walking stick, until I came to a bunch of bamboo, which made a sort of tunnel how it arched over my head.

I grinned faintly and then went to work—cutting, cutting, and cutting.

"Cody?"

I blinked. Why was Melissa out here? And why was her voice all funny? "Yeah, Mel, what is it?"

I heard a giggle and I glanced back to see—nothing, actually. "Melissa, that isn't funny; come out now."

"Why should I?" the voice asked, from a different point now.

I whipped around and saw a flash of tan. Did Melissa own any tops in that color? I couldn't remember. She must have, though. No one else here knew my first name.

My eyes were a little wider and my grip was a little firmer, my knuckles going white as I clutched the camp knife. "You're scaring me, Mel. Think about what happened yesterday?"

There was that giggle again, oddly girlish. "And what happened yesterday?" the voice asked, from behind me.

I turned around slowly, knife held out. I just came face to face with a blonde—a blonde who was not Taylor.

_Holy freak... _

"Who are you?" I asked, hesitantly. I took in her dark ashy blonde hair, her brown eyes, her freckles, the tan sweater she was wearing, and more, as I looked her up and down. I hadn't ever seen this girl before.

_How did she even get here? Is she a castaway, too, then? Or are there other people...?_

"You can call me Em if you like, Cody," she responded, her sentence ending with another now annoying giggle.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, taking a step back hesitantly.

"I just do."

"How do you know my name?" I asked, through gritted teeth. This girl was freaking me out. How did she know who I was? Had I known her at some point?

I felt something vaguely cold on my arm, a breeze almost, and looked down to see her hand on my arm.

_What the h- is going on?_

"What...?" I began, so tongue-tied I couldn't form words.

Was she...a spirit, or something, then? That would be...different...

Her hand moved up my arm and I couldn't stand it, that cold tickle. I dashed off. I knew I shouldn't show my back to a potential opponent but I was probably just going crazy, so who cares right?

"Leave me alone!" I yelled over my shoulder, back at this Em. She hadn't moved, just stood there rather sadly.

"Run a little farther, Cody!"

What the heck does that mean? I wondered about it only briefly, before I tripped on a rock and slammed into a tree—a vaguely soft tree. Well, maybe it wasn't a tree...

"Hey! Watch it...oh..."

I was stunned, on my back end, and not exactly sure what to do except look up at the tall, scrawny blond guy (who vaguely reminded me of Eric) in front of me. Well, at least this one was solid.

"Who are you?" he asked.

_Good, he doesn't know my name either._

"I'm J-Jackson."

No way on earth did I just...stutter? But I had, somehow.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Luke," the guy said, holding out a hand for me to shake.

I just looked at it until he pulled it back.

I then noticed he was carrying about a dozen odd-shaped fruits. They reminded me vaguely of prunes. Oh, so he was gathering food, too. That probably meant he wasn't from a civilized area. Of course, who knows? Maybe he was an eccentric billionaire who liked to live on random Pacific isles and carve out a life.

"So...how did you get here?" he asked me, as if he wasn't exactly surprised.

"Plane crash..."

"Oh, that's a new one."

I blinked. What did he mean by that?

"We got a boat-wrecker a few months ago," he said, as if he could hear my unspoken question.

That at least wasn't too creepy.

"What do you mean by 'we'? Are there more people living here?" I asked, somewhat hopefully.

_Please say there's a whole resort full of people here and you're just a weird hippie... _

"Yeah, there are about a dozen of us," he responded, nodding.

I grinned. "Great! I'll get the others..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, putting his hands in front of him. "There are more of you?"

"Yeah, about a dozen, actually," I said, realizing we had equal-sized groups. How odd...

"Wow. Yeah, this'll be different. I'll, um... How about you bring everybody here, okay? I'll wait. Like, go sit on that rock," he said, pointing to a boulder farther up the hill. "You just bring them here..."

I nodded, slightly wary. If his group were dangerous this might not end well. We had two knives at least. Maybe we'd have one person go ahead first—me—and then the others would follow? ...Sounded better than doing nothing.

"See you," he called after me, as I walked off without another word. I waved back at him, my shoulders tense as I once again showed a maybe enemy my back.

_A/N: Sorry if that was rushed. I needed action fast, fast, fast. Anyway, review and tell me what you liked and didn't like, if you would. Thanks._


	11. Chapter 11: The People of the Island

_A/N: Hello faithful (and not-so-faithful newbie) readers. Thanks for continuing to read my spiel._

_Special thanks go to: Music4Live-JB (who reviewed two chapters in a row!) and f29dwnaddict. No, it wasn't a hallucination. ...Wait...well... And it's going to get creepier._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flight 29 Down, "Lord of the Flies", "Apocalypse" (by Tim Bowler), or LOST. If I did, things would be VERY different. Well, maybe. _

_I have a few quotes that will be important or are just for fun. Try to read at least the one from the Bible. It has to do with the storyline. No one has guessed what Rev 316 stands for after all. Oh, and note the number 11 stands for imperfection._

_**Revelation 3:16**_

_So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth._

_**Numbers 13: 32-33**_

_And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. _

_We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them._

You'll get what it all means...sooner or later...well, hopefully. I never outlined this and I'm not exactly sure how to move on from this chapter...more or less...or at least move on from the next chapter...so _please_ send me a helpful review!

_**Chapter Eleven: The People of the Island**_

**Jackson's POV**

I had thought they wouldn't believe me. Well, I imagined if I told them I saw a girl who wasn't _there _they would—so I hadn't told them that. (I didn't want to be grouped with Captain Russell, after all.) I had, however, told them about Luke (of course).

Daley had been skeptical, but she'd nodded along as I explained, and Nathan had hung on her every opinion—still looking tired. Lex had grinned brightly enough to light up a baseball field and I sort of felt horrible because I _might_ be getting his hopes up for nothing. Abby hadn't believed me whatsoever and had walked away. Melissa, Taylor, and Eric just seemed to be a bit relieved and the others seemed much more relieved.

I knew Daniel was getting worn out, trying to keep us in order, especially since we unintentionally bucked off most of his rulings. We were too used to taking care of ourselves that it was weird for anyone adult to help. The nurse (or doctor) had actually asked the most questions.

I'd been surprised by that, since she hadn't spoken to me before then. Well, I couldn't recall. I'd been kind of buzzed after we'd crashed, though.

"So, I suppose you all want to come and meet Luke, then?" I asked, awkwardly. "Well, minus Ian…and Captain Russell…"

Ian chuckled wearily, were he was sitting propped up, Jory beside him.

Chloe cleared her throat and I glanced over at her. "Yes?" I asked, calmly.

"I suggest Jory, Ian, Captain Russell, Nathan, and I stay at camp," she said. She had leisurely listed off the names, sounding bored.

I raised an eyebrow at her. That made sense to me…but it was odd of her to speak up, too, about anything that mattered, at least.

"Okay," I said, shrugging.

I heard Daley let out a low hiss of breath beside me however. I looked at the feisty red-head and saw her face had gone slightly red. Was she…jealous?

I let out a laugh, which she caught, and then I covered it with a cough when I saw how livid she looked. "Um, okay… Everyone else…? You don't have to come if you don't want to," I informed them.

I still wasn't good at public speaking.

People looked around and just whispered to each other.

Daley walked over closer.

"I'll come," she said quietly.

Lex followed his sister like a lost puppy and I grinned slightly at him, kind of happy I could keep an eye on him. I'm sure Nathan could protect him if Captain Chaos went berserk but…

Melissa, Taylor, and Eric came as well—along with Daniel.

I noticed the nurse hung back. "Are you coming, too…?" I asked, slowly.

She shook her head. "No. I should stay in case something happens…"

"Yeah, I'll stay here, too," Mandy said, as she stepped back closer to Ian, brushing a strand of her dark burgundy hair out of her face.

I nodded slowly. "Okay. Well, I suppose I'll lead the way then?" I asked.

I glanced over at Daniel. "Hey, you mind bringing the camp knife?" I asked, pointing at the orange-handled blade.

"Sure…but why?" Daniel asked me, his eyes narrowing.

"Just in case they're not as friendly as they seem," I said quietly, as I picked up my spear, knife still in my back pocket, sheathed in a leather case I'd made for it.

He nodded slightly. Lex seemed a little wary now. I didn't like scaring any of them, but it was the truth. We'd found a dead body. We had to be careful.

_…Especially after I met this Em person, too._

**Eric's POV**

"So how much farther is this meeting place, Chief?" I asked, trying not to pant as I slowed to a stop.

My feet were hurting, the ground was squishy, and there were giant flying cockroach bugs and these other kind of biting bugs.

Plus, it was humid as heck.

Taylor also was showing the signs of acting like a carsick dog, so I didn't feel too bad. Even Daley looked a little wilted.

Jackson sighed. "Not much farther…" he said, but he was looking around, like he was lost.

_That's all we need…_  
I then saw some hacked up bamboo stalks, as we moved into a denser part of the forest. Seriously, there was everything in here—old trees, bamboo, every type of bug imaginable, and an odd mix of animals. I think I'd seen a deer's white tail at one point, before it bounded off.

I'd also seen a few lizards, lounging on the thick, rotting branches that littered the ground.

I really hoped I wasn't going to get poison ivy, or poison oak.

"Hey, was that your fault…?" I asked, as the others continued to wander ahead, Jackson flanked by Daniel.

Jackson's gaze obviously flashed over. "Yeah…that was where I was…" he mused slowly.

I felt like tapping my foot impatiently.

"And, then, which way is it to these grassy hills and those boulders you were talking about?" I questioned.

"East," he said, and then took off to the right.

Of course he knew which way east was. Of course he did.

I sighed, and tagged along, lagging towards the back as we wandered on. "How are you doing, Mel?" I asked, noticing she was just in front of me, yards from Jackson (which, with her slightly obsession, as unusual).

"Yeah, fine. I need to lose some weight, though," she mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, if anyone needs to lose weight it's…"

Her eyes found my face. "If you say Jory, I'll strangle you."

I rolled my eyes. "I was going to say me. I'm not that mean."

"You don't need to lose weight," she said, as she took a stick and swiped away some spider webs before following the rest of the group.

"Precisely," I said, grinning.

I purposely ignored the rustling in the thicket nearby. I had the feeling whatever it was wasn't Bambi.

Of course, I had a reason to be paranoid so maybe it was just a cute baby deer or a rabbit.  
**Taylor's POV**

I was about to second Eric's thoughts; after we walked another…I wouldn't know, just a long while. But then, out of nowhere quite literally, the forest dropped away and we were out in a wide, grassy clearing.

The only markings were giant, gray stone boulders that seemed tossed about, like by a giant.

I saw a form sitting on one, quite a few yards away. He didn't seem to have noticed us, his face not turning. Jackson and Daniel sped up, so I did too.

_Why did I pick to wear flip flops? I mean, I know sand in my tennis shoes is uncomfortable but really…_

The others followed close behind. Jackson held up a hand for us to wait, however, so we all nearly skid to a halt, like a bunch of cartoon characters.

"Let me talk to him first, just in case…" Jackson said quietly, as he turned to face us. He seemed a little nervous, leaning against his spear like he was with a firm grip on the bamboo.

Daniel frowned. "That's not what we agreed to…" he began, but Jackson had already turned tail and dashed off.

Melissa didn't seem pleased with him either, if you took note of her pursed out lower lip and crossed arms.

She honestly could be such a baby sometimes. I mean, it was the truth. I wasn't trying to be mean but…

**Jackson's POV**

"Hey, Luke," I said, once I was close enough to the wild-haired blond. He didn't glance over at me, eyes fixed on something in front of him.

I cleared my throat, about to talk again.

"I know you're there. I was just thinking," he said, somewhat snappily, and he finally looked over, pale eyes oddly intense.

"You know, your people got lucky…" he said quietly.

I blinked. "Why is that?"

"You landed on the south end of the island," he responded.  
I just stared. "And how is that good?"

"The south end is safer. No, don't ask why. We don't have time for that…wait, is that a kid?"

Luke's gaze had narrowed in on Lex and it made me slightly uncomfortable. Was him being a kid some sort of problem?

"Yeah, his name is Lex."

Luke just nodded. He looked slightly sad. "Oh, well. Is that all of them?" he asked. There was an edge to his voice, like he was angry.

"Well, no…"

"I said all," he grumbled, looking very uncomfortable now as he shifted around on the rock.

"So?" I asked, feeling tense. "Are you not going to take us to the resort or whatever now because of that?"

He laughed, humorlessly. "No. But it just makes it harder…"

"Why is that?" I asked, hesitantly.

He pointed to a row of rocks.

_Huh, so those were what I'd tripped over…_

I didn't see what they had to do with the current situation.

"I can't go over those."

Well, that was better. I guess. It was an answer, at least.

"Well, why not?" I asked, confused once again.

"I just can't. And I said…ugh, never mind. Can you get the others to come over here, now? I'll have to lead and no one should lag behind. It's not even safe here…"

"Safe?" I asked, feeling a tension in my shoulders again. The dead body and the animal that attacked me came to mind.

Luke tensed, his blue eyes flashing. He seemed to be as messed up as me.

"Yeah, safe," he murmured finally, and then hopped off his seat.

I watched as he started heading towards the others. I followed.

The others watched him warily, as he came up in front of him. I finally took in his appearance, other than his features, for real this time. His clothes were dirty and torn, a blue dress shirt and torn jeans—an odd mix—with a pale gray overcoat that hung down to his knees. The coat itself looked like something out of the army. His hair and his eyes were a little wild, too.

"Nice to meet you," he told the group, as a whole.

He held his hand out to Daley. She reached out hesitantly and shook it.

"I'm Luke," he informed them, and then once again, he walked off without another word.

We all watched him, as he climbed the hill with practiced ease. Once he hit the crest he looked back at us, squinting.

"Well, are you coming?" he questioned.

Daniel shot me a look and I just shrugged.

"Let's go, then?" I suggested.

As we walked on, I heard Taylor whisper about how good looking he was. Personally, I thought he looked like a _wild man_. But I couldn't judge. I was a fellow man after all…

I had noted, too, that this Luke looked about my age. He seemed older but…he was obviously just a teenager.

**Lex's POV**

I was kind of nervous about now, as we followed Luke through more marshy type woodland, then through brittle, obviously fire-burnt lands. I looked at the blackened pines here and shuddered, grabbing Daley's hand.  
My sister grinned down at me, obviously flustered but trying to conceal it for me. I grinned back weakly, then looked at how we were set up. Eric, Daniel, and Jackson had naturally taken the lead after Luke was added to the mix, like they were our protectors. I let out a little laugh, at how uniform human nature could be.

Daley glanced down and raised an eyebrow at me. I shrugged, still grinning a little. It was good to know that we could even trust Eric.

"Did you know we have pumas here?" Luke asked, out of the blue.

Jackson froze. "Pumas…? What do they look like?"  
"Big, brown…they have big, yellow eyes…" Luke mused, grinning back in an almost feral way at Jackson.

Between the flashbacks I'd had and the look Luke was sporting, I felt unsettled.

"Oh," Jackson said, looking almost relieved.

I was pretty sure we hadn't been attacked by a cougar—unless it was a mutant, which was possible in smaller populations especially I suppose. I didn't mention my theories, though.

"How much longer…?" Taylor whined, as she held her curly blonde hair off her neck.

Luke grinned, and then faced away from us again, walking once more.

"We're close…" he said, and then we stepped out onto another grassy flatland.

I glanced around and saw a clumping of old, plantation style houses. The largest was white-washed and the others had light-colored paint jobs, but the colors were so faded it was hard to tell what the colors had been at one point.

This wasn't a resort.

Taylor seemed to have caught on, too. "I don't suppose you have a strip mall or Star Bucks hidden behind there, do you?"

Luke shook his head, sighing softly. "No. I'm sorry… This is all. We have closed-in showers, outhouses, beds to sleep on, and roofs to sleep under, however—and places to stay when the weather gets bad. I think we have it pretty good."

Taylor opened her mouth to speak again, but Luke beat her to the punch—seemingly knowing what she was going to ask.

"No, we don't have electricity. We don't have TV, Internet, or anything like that."

Taylor whimpered. I even felt a little sorry for her. Maybe I could help, though. We'd brought along those solar panels…they'd love music, I'd bet!

Jackson sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you have boats to leave here, or planes?" he asked.

Luke shook his head once more. "No," he whispered.  
Eric groaned. "Seriously, we came all this way for this!"

Luke turned on him, eyes flashing with annoyance. I shied closer to Daley.

"I saved you people. You don't have to start from scratch, okay? You can live with us. That's better than…anything you had before, trust me!"

Luke still looked deadly.

I gulped and Daley squeezed my hand harder.

I watched as Jackson nodded, slowly. "And we're glad, aren't we?"

There were murmured agreements. I said "Yes!" however.

Jackson flashed me a brief smile.

Melissa then raised her hand. "So, who is all here? I mean, besides you, of course, Luke. Are there others? Like, are there some adults or children?"

Luke smiled a little, a nice smile, and I relaxed somewhat.

"There are quite a few of us. I'll introduce you to them when you see them. Just avoid Elli. She's a," Luke cleared his throat, noting me again, "female dog."

Taylor giggled, from where she stood behind me.

Jackson didn't look pleased with his answer, though.

"All right," he said. "Can we go closer now?"

Luke actually rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course," he said, sighing with exasperation.

Jackson didn't like that, either.

Luke turned around and waved us on, and we all walked hesitantly towards the camp. I saw a bonfire the closer we got, about two feet in diameter, but it was barely lit now. I also noticed all the houses were in a semi-circle, faces northeast—even though that wasn't very important.

Most of the houses' shutters were closed, oddly enough.

"The Main House," Luke began, as he pointed to the large white house with a wraparound porch, "is where we hold meetings. I also live there, with Alys."

"She's your wife?" I asked hesitantly.  
Eric was smirking for some reason. I didn't like it.

"No. She's a friend," Luke answered, giving Eric what could only be described as the evil eye.

"Nicole, another friend," he continued, "also lives there. She's thirteen. She and Alys are roommates."

I grinned. Wow, maybe she could be my friend, too.

He pointed to a yellow-painted house next. "The…oldest person here, Remus, and his girlfriend, Elli, live there."

"Jealousy, much…?" Eric asked, raising his eyebrows.

Luke sighed. "No."

"Like Remus Lupin?" I asked, instead.

"Who…?" Luke asked, blinking at me as we assembled around the fire.

"Remus Lupin…you know, from _Harry Potter_?" I added.

"Sorry, I don't know what that is," Luke said quietly.

Taylor looked at him in confusion. "I don't read and even I know about _Harry Potter_, everyone does."

Luke shrugged his shoulders.

I watched as Jackson frowned and stepped closer.

"How long have you been here?" he asked Luke.

Luke sighed, looking a little beat down all the sudden. "I…well…"

Luke glanced at us all, looking over their faces. I leaned closer to Daley.

"Let's just say I've been here long enough the dates are getting fuzzy," Luke mused quietly, "and that I hardly recall who my family even was."

Lex winced. What would their chances be?

Taylor and Daniel looked rather stunned, but Jackson was frowning.

"How did you get here?" Jackson asked.

Luke just watched Jackson cautiously for a moment. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Melissa's eyebrows drew together. "Why...?"

"If I told you, I'd be talking about it, wouldn't I?" Luke asked dryly.

Melissa blushed, moving closer to Jackson.

"I'll go gather up the others. You guys just wait here. You can, ya know, sit down on the logs...poke the fire...whatever."

Luke walked off once again, his hands in his coat pockets.

"Well, that was odd," Eric comments.

Jackson reaches over and cuffs him on the back of the head.

I looked around at everyone, as they talked and sat down by the fire.

Daley waved me over, smiling brightly. Her blue eyes were worried, nonetheless. "Come on, Lex. Sit down and rest a while."

I nodded and walked over, to sit with her.

***

It took Luke only about five minutes to have a montage of people together. I watched as they walked over, there being about six of them I could make out.

I noticed Jackson and Daniel tense as they walked over and I wanted to roll my eyes at them, even if I knew it was impolite. These people didn't seem dangerous. Of course, they were trying to protect us...

Daley even sat closer, which made me give her a look. She just smiled innocently and shrugged.

I watched as Luke stood front and center, that somewhat feral grin still on his face. He had his arm slung around the shoulders of a shorter, tawny-skinned girl with shoulder-length brown hair and sparkling green eyes. She waved at us.

"I'm Nicole, but you can call me Nikki," she told us all. She then came forward and put a little wooden duck on a log by Melissa. "You can keep that. I like carving stuff..." she mumbled, stepping back and hiding halfway behind Luke.

I grinned at her, trying to make her more comfortable, and she smiled back.

Luke waved her off. "Okay, next!" he said, reminding me of a director in a movie. A petite, platinum blonde was next, her forget-me-not blue eyes and milky skin odd on an island. She, like Luke, couldn't possibly be a native.

"I'm Alys. That's A-l-y-s. Yes, it's spelled oddly. Blame my parents," she said, with a charming smile.

I saw Eric nearly do the bulging-eyed, tongue-hanging wolf thing out of the corner of my eye. I smirked a little and Daley and I shared a look.

Luke nodded. "Althea?" he asked, and I blinked in confusion at the other old name. Remus was Roman and Althea was Greek. _Interesting..._

A model-thin girl was next, who had lengthy hair and gray eyes. "Hi," was all she said, before she stepped back.

I noticed, despite her obvious old movie star looks, Eric didn't respond to her. He seemed slightly nervous, if anything. Of course, Althea was really tall-like an Amazon woman, almost. I suppose he'd be a little intimidated.

"And, sorry, but Dammar won't be joining us right away, he's shy," Althea mentioned, as a mousy girl and a reddish-blond man stepped up.

"I'm Laura," the girl said, waving a hand. She seemed to be partially hiding behind the guy, who I noted looked sort of like the tough guy type, sort of like Jackson but different. He was lean, with piercings, and he was wearing only a wife-beater shirt and loose pants.

"And I'm Travis," he added, glaring us all down with an intensity that made me cringe. "Also, if any of you lay a hand on Mandy you'll lose it-and I mean that out of the goodness of my heart."

Luke rolled his eyes behind him, and then made a puppet with his hand that was yapping. I chuckled. Travis scowled, not pleased with my reaction.

"Have a problem with that, Short Stuff?" he asked, stepping closer. I leaned back and Jackson about stood up, only to be held back by Daniel.

"Leave him alone, Travis. I know you think everybody is out to get you-which is understandable-but he's a kid," a deep voice behind them all, from someone unseen, commented.

_I wonder what makes it understandable...?_

"Oh, and that'd be Stephen," Luke added, as he moved to the right, allowing a Hulk to take his place. The guy was about as tall as Daniel and maybe Italian, but burlier than either Daniel or Jackson.

_Wow...I'm like the size of his leg..._

Stephen gave us a brief wave, then crossed his arms again. I noticed, on his arms, there were jagged, shiny scars. I frowned. How did you manage to get things like that? The left side of his face was marred slightly, too.

"I'm glad you're all here and I assure you you'll be welcomed and treated with respect," Stephen commented, then held out a knife I knew was Jackson's.

Jackson immediately felt about his pants, looking for it. His eyes went wide when he realized it truly wasn't on his person anymore.

"But you won't be given this back until I know you'll do the same for us," Stephen continued, tossing the blade from hand to hand.

Luke groaned. "Stephen...stealing people's stuff is not how to make friends..."

"Yeah, well," Stephen said indifferently, shrugging. "I have you all to protect."

He eyed us all, a note of worry to his face. "I hope you won't hold this against me...but, these people are my family, okay?"

Daniel nodded, hesitantly. "Okay."

"Also, understand Luke here is our leader. I'm the sidekick. Personally, I'd be more scared of him," Stephen said, with a knowing grin.

Luke huffed, not liking that statement.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Every head went to a curly-haired fellow that was walking briskly towards us.

"I use the restroom and I find you've multiplied," the guy said, in a sad drawl.

Stephen rolled his eyes.

"This is Richard. If you hear Elli talking about someone named Dick, this would be him," he informed us.

Richard shoved him once he reached him, making him stumble back a few steps—even though it was clear Stephen dwarfed the shorter man.

"So, whose kids are these?" Richard finally said, as he squinted at us. "Luke and Alys didn't hook up again, right?"

Luke frowned at him.

"I have never 'hooked up' with Alys," he muttered, in a wounded tone.

Alys patted his back. "Oh, but you wanted to, hot shot."

Taylor let out a small laugh, where she sat behind us. Silent, speculating Abby, who hadn't felt the need to talk so far, also let out a brief chuckle.

"They're nobodies' kids, anyway. That one," Luke said, pointing at Jackson, "rudely enough ran smack dab into me. They'll be moving in with us."

"Cool," Richard said.

He was the first one to look excited about it.

"Who are they sharing with?" he asked.

Luke eyed us over. "Well, I don't know. We'll discuss it when the others come..."

Daniel held up his hands in a 'T' for Time-Out position. "Wait, wait, wait...when did we say we'd be moving in here?" he asked, his voice halfway annoyed.

Luke blinked at him. "But...you have to."

That reminded me a tad bit of a murder mystery I'd read once. I decided to forget about that...

"Why do we have to?" Melissa questioned; her dark eyes curious.

Luke looked from Stephen, to Alys, to Richard—the four almost silently communicating—before turning his gaze back to us again.

"Well, you see...there are...well..._other people_ here..." Luke began brokenly.

Jackson raised an eyebrow, a certain expression on his face I couldn't recognize.

"'Other people'?" he asked, quoting Luke.

Luke nodded slightly, his blue eyes going slightly dark. "Yeah...and they aren't too friendly..."

_A/N: Wow, I managed a sort of cliff-hanger. I hope you liked it. Unless I die, I should update this soon to give you your answers. Well, plus I have a wedding to go to, school, and dance classes/student teaching, so I may be fairly busy..._

_I'll try. And, if I'm gone from late Sept. to early Oct. I'll be out of the country so don't freak—assuming you actually care enough to be curious. *chuckles* _

_Next: questions fly, the Flight 29 Down crew and their 'rescuers' try to figure out what to do, Melissa sees something she shouldn't, and...things may happen! _

_I stink at that stuff (see above). I either fail, or give out spoilers. *shakes head sadly*_


	12. Chapter 12: Sinking

_A/N: Hello and welcome back. I'm glad to say, after a guilty-making review, I was able to whip up this chapter and have it posted. I have absolutely no idea how to go from here however... o.o_

_Wish me luck..._

_Oh, and since I'm having trouble remembering my own secondary characters (Madison turned to Mandy) and I feel very sorry about this, I'm going to write down their names now so I can't forget anyone. _

_So here they are—Kelli (brown hair, brown eyes, and freckles), Mandy (red hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin), Annika (short but lean with frizzy, kinky-curly black hair and brown eyes), Daniel (tall, buff, and dark skinned), and Chloe (light brown hair, pale hazel-blue eyes, and lighter skin)._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flight 29 Down, "Apocalypse" by Tim Bowler, D.J. MacHale, the drummer of WSO who looks like a darker brown-haired variant of Johnny Pacar, the fan who looks like Ian, or anything like that. I also do not own Cujo, even though we were beta'ing each other's work. (Shattered Mirror is half mine! Even though he won't admit it. Now you know he doesn't have an obsession (that would be me); he's just a psychologist in the making.)_

_Plus, who'd want to own a Thomas Paine? They're very testy. And they almost get executed a lot._

_

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_**Chapter 12: Sinking**_

**Taylor's POV**

"And what does _that _mean?" Jackson asked.

His voice was beyond annoyed, like he was gritting his teeth.

I watched as Stephen's dark eyes flashed to Luke's paler ones, before Luke sighed. "Well, what it implies. They aren't too kind to newcomers. Or anyone, really."

Abby raised her eyebrows. "They're native to here?"

"Like Adam and Eve were native to Eden," Luke responded.

I was confused a little by that metaphor, but whatever I guess.

"What do they look like?" Abby questioned.

Luke shrugged. "It depends. Dammar is native and Althea is, but Althea is albino."

Althea huffed. "Not exactly... I'm just a fluke."

Luke sighed. "Okay, okay. They normally are darker skinned, dark eyed, and dark-haired. Some aren't. I don't know."

My question was: who had ever been native to an_ island_?

"Are all the women that tall?" Eric asked after the pause, eying Althea.

Althea chuckled. "No, love... The younger ones aren't."

I noticed that her voice was very deep for a girl, this time. Eric just gulped.

"Will we get to meet this Dammar soon?" Jackson asked dryly.

"Maybe," Luke said, shrugging.

His eyes seemed dull.

"He's been a little out of it recently."

"Out of it...?" I asked, not knowing what he quite meant by that.

"Never mind," Luke said, finally, looking directly at me.

It kind of made my skin crawl, oddly. He looked away then.

"So, the natives are dangerous, however?" Daniel asked, worry creeping into his voice.

Althea looked to Luke, who shrugged. Travis nodded, however, and stepped in front of Luke.

"Quite so," Travis said snappily.

Althea glared down at him, but he didn't back off.

"They don't really like outsiders or new technology..." Luke began, calmly.

Travis huffed. "They're also—."

Stephen clapped a hand over Travis' mouth.

"Shut it," he hissed, just loud enough for me to hear.

Travis' eyes went wide and he tried to wriggle away. Stephen let him, but kept an eye on him.

"Travis had a run in with a particularly nasty one. So excuse him, he isn't very fond of them," Luke said softly.

Travis grumbled something, but I couldn't hear it.

"What do they call themselves?" Lex asked, obviously curious about this troupe of people that obviously hadn't been discovered so far by scientists.

"I wouldn't know," Luke admitted. "I never actually asked."

"I like to call them Perfects, however," Travis said, and he shifted farther away from Stephen.

"We call ourselves a lot of names. Mostly we just go by what people are saying. For a while we were known as Apoplexy," Althea said calmly. "Mostly we're called Perfects now, by the latest batch of humanity that decided to come to our home."

Lex's face shone with confusion, before he straightened and pretended nothing had happened to surprise him.

I eyed him and he just shook his head slightly, like he didn't want to talk about it.

"Anyway, before we make our decision whether to stay here or back with the plane, why is it safer here?" Daley asked.

Luke's face went blank for a minute. "Well, there's the border. That row of stones? They hate written things, especially certain numbers. I don't know why. They won't cross it, however, so it's safe. They're highly unpredictable, but they won't cross it."

Althea shrugged. "And I'm the traitor who doesn't mind."

She gave us all a weak grin and I felt bad for her.

Travis snorted, like he didn't think that was enough of an explanation.

Daniel clapped his hands together, standing up. "Okay. Well, could you leave us for a while so we could talk?" he asked.

Luke nodded and tugged at Nicole's arm. "Come on, guys."

Everyone followed him, but Travis hung back for a split second. "Stay here, for the love of God," he muttered, before he quickly followed Stephen, who seemed ready to intervene.

I blinked. Well, _that_ didn't sound good, now did it?

**Abby's POV**

I was seeing things again and I was scared speechless, if that was even anything that could happen. I could barely even get out a squeak. _Althea was on fire!_

She couldn't be, though. She had been grinning and talking just a moment ago. She'd been on fire then, too. It was a weird sort of fire, somehow metallic and gray, and it rippled all over her body, mostly in her eyes and around her chest.

It was the freakiest thing I'd ever seen in my life.

Maybe I should have been more scared that both Stephen and Richard had similar flames around their torsos, but I ignored it. Theirs were smaller, rapidly changing colors, too.

What was the meaning of this, anyway? I mean, I'd seen some solid lights around people in our group, when the sunlight hit at certain angles, but never had they looked like _flames_.

My shoulders were shaking a tiny bit as I stared at the dirt, glad for once no one here really liked me enough to care I was almost about to have a nervous breakdown. I must be going insane after all.

I glanced up, as I heard Daniel, Jackson, Daley, and Eric talking in louder tones. I also noticed that Luke, where he sat across the way on the Main House's steps, was watching me. I decided to ignore that.

"If they're dangerous we should go back and get the others and bring them here where it's safer."

"No, we can't do that. If we leave the plane people might not see us if they flew over!"

"But if it's for the best...it's for the best, Eric."

"Yeah, I mean...they could kill us..."

"Yeah, well. If we stay on this island forever, will it be much different?"

"Don't say things like that."

I sighed and cleared my throat noisily. They glanced over, eyes wild and expressions mixed.

"I think we should stay here. I mean, didn't you hear what Travis said? If he saw one personally and is this scared—no matter how Althea acts—they could definitely be very, very dangerous. Think about that body we found, those scratches. They had to be caused somehow."

Everyone was silent after my little outburst, but I'd been thinking about it for a while. What could have caused those marks, if not knives?

The others could very well be cannibals. The shoe seemed to fit. From how Luke had responded and how well Althea had spoken, I doubted it. But to survive you had to prepare for the worst, expect it even.

I was used to it by now.

"Are you suggesting...?" Daniel began, but then trailed off.

"I think we should go get the others and bring them here, too. It would save us a lot of hard work and potential accidents. We would have to start from scratch, you know? And like Abby said, Travis would know," Melissa suggested softly.

She glanced over at me and I nodded, trying to show her I was being serious about this.

I watched as Jackson sighed and clapped his hands together tiredly. "Okay, let's bring everyone here then."

Eric gaped at him. "What...? But then if someone flew overhead they wouldn't be able to see..."

Jackson shot him a look. "I know you tend to be depressed when you feel like you're not doing anything; but Eric, this is for the best."

Eric scowled at Jackson and just stalked off, heading towards a shady spot closer to the woods. Melissa watched him go with a frown on her face, her eyebrows drawn together. I felt somehow sad for all of them, just a pulse of emotion.

I didn't like it.

**Melissa's POV**

"Okay, so Daniel, Daley, and I will go back and gather up the others and bring them here. We'll then make a second trip back for any supplies we couldn't bring on the first. The plane is high enough on the beach that it won't get pulled out and planes can still see it, so we should be okay," Jackson informed everyone, his eyes meeting everyone's at least once.

He'd make a good politician, if he actually liked to play boss. He didn't, however. ...Maybe a police chief, someday?

I nearly smacked myself. Now was not the time to think about that.

"Abby, Melissa, Lex, Eric, and Taylor—you'll stay here and check out our living conditions," Jackson ordered quietly.

Eric heard him anyway and walked back over, clothes wrinkled from lying in the shade, his hat tipped over into his face. I giggled and Eric just shot me a don't-say-anything look.

"Eric, I expect you to take care of the girls and Lex," Jackson said, narrowing his eyes at the slighter blond.

Eric snorted. "Of course I will. I'm not going to let any of the people around here hurt anybody."

Abby huffed at this, obviously mad at Jackson underestimating her. Poor Jackson...

"I can watch my own back, too, buddy. I have a black belt, you know, I can say that with honestly, bud," Abby said, in a demeaning tone.

She seemed to be over doing it, however, with a sneer on her face, too. She didn't seem to have the drive she'd had before, anyhow. Like it wasn't as intimidating or something?

I couldn't explain it, so I just watched as Jackson showed his annoyance in his very off-hand way. His jaw twitched, in other words. It always did that when he was mad, like he wanted to get in your face and yell but he wasn't going to.

"Okay, whatever, just stay together and don't wander off on your own," Jackson said.

"I believe that's obvious," Taylor said, rather meekly.

Jackson scowled at her, anyway, obviously close to his breaking point over all the stuff that had happened in the past few days.

Daley just tugged on his shirt. "Come on, Jackson, Daniel and I are ready to go," she said.

I believe Eric muttered "That's what she said." But I couldn't be sure. All I know is that I rolled my eyes, at whatever he'd just mumbled. Whatever it had been, I betted it wasn't too smart.

Eric was back to his old self... I was mildly happy about it, but mostly disappointed. He was also once again clingy about his hat.

Who knew a straw hat could be a security blanket, anyway?

**Lex's POV (30 minutes later)**

"I mean, aren't you a little worried about living here with new people?" Eric asked, both Melissa and Abby.

Abby shrugged and Mel bit her lower lip. "I don't know, Eric. I suppose so, but if those natives are dangerous—."

Eric cut her off. "Have you even seen one of these supposed natives? I haven't."

I sighed and raised my hand. All four glanced over—Taylor included.

"Why don't we all just go and see the house we'd be living in, talk to some of the people? You know, get used to them…" I suggested quietly.

Abby raised an eyebrow and no one spoke for a minute. I gulped, about to talk again, when Mel grinned widely. She leaped over and hugged me. I just stood, stiff—too surprised to do anything.

"That sounds great, Lex! Good job," she said, still grinning. I nodded, smiling weakly. She grabbed my arm and started pulling me along, so I followed her. "Who should we talk to?" she asked, thinking aloud as she glanced over at the group across the way.

By then Eric had hopped ahead of us and was standing tall, one hand held ahead of him, palm facing us. "Uh-uh, no way, we're staying here until the others get back."

Melissa frowned at him. "Who made you boss?"

"Your boyfriend," Eric commented dryly.

Melissa rolled her eyes, and then said, sounding embarrassed, "He isn't my boyfriend. And he didn't put you in charge; he just said to watch us."

"Okay. But how am I supposed to watch you if you're away with one of them," Eric commented, jerking a thumb back at the group that was now watching us curiously, "or in one of those houses?"

"Let's just all go," Taylor said, stepping in for me.

I was normally the person who acted rationally; but I was tired today and just overwhelmed. I also was thinking Mel was reaching her snapping point, which was why she seemed so happy and excitable. We all needed sleep. How many days had we been here, anyway?

My heart stopped for a few seconds when I realized I honestly didn't know. I needed to ask Daley.

"That sounds good," Abby mused, as she walked up behind us.

Eric frowned and just looked from one face to the other. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Melissa and Taylor both shook their heads.

"Come on, Eric! You know you'll want to know where we shower and bath and use the toilet," she said, batting her eyelashes even though that statement was mildly revolting.

"Fine, fine," Eric muttered finally. "We can go hang out with the carnie freaks."

Mel shot him a look. "Be polite, Eric."

"Yes, you wouldn't want to be seen as our Travis," Abby commented, with a smirk. Melissa playfully shoved her, while giggling.

Yeah, she was definitely about to drop.

**Eric's POV**

Luke had led us to another house, one of the ones a little away from the main house, and quickly informed us it had four bedrooms, a parlor, a living room, a dining room, and an unused indoor commode.

I could see why it was unused, because even with the fancy faded paintings on the walls with gold frames, couches with feet that looked like paws, intricately carved chests and other bedroom furniture, china, and more, this place still didn't have running water.

Who had left a paradise like this, anyway?

The house was, luckily, at least in good shape. In other words, the floor was solid and the roof wasn't sagging or holey.

It still wasn't civilization.

Luke had left after his quick spiel a little fast, which made me worried quite frankly, but I ignored it, pushed it to the back of my mind.

Now everyone was gathered around, sprawled out on the dusty furniture and burn-spot flecked hardwood near the also unused fireplace. Melissa was actually fast asleep, arm slung over her eyes as she lay curled up on the couch.

My mouth quirked up a little at the sight; because at least someone wasn't worrying themselves to baldness.

"Hey, Eric...?" Abby said softly, where she stood by the window.

She was looking back at me, her big, sad brown eyes making her look somewhat like a deer caught in headlights.

_Bad mental image... _

I nodded and walked over. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Did you notice anything...strange about the others?" she asks softly, rather demure for her.

I blinked in confusion anyhow. "Well, I noticed they've lived here for years without doing anything to get away, yes. And that one girl is Amazon Woman tall."

Abby let out a tiny chuckle. "Never mind then. Tell the others to go out and meet Jackson. He's throwing a hissy fit outside because he can't see us."

_And how do you know this...?_ I didn't question her, though. I just rounded up Lex and Taylor and drug them out of the house, so Jackson wouldn't try to get into a brawl with his darker-looking twin, Stephen.

"Be careful, Abby. And keep an eye on Mel!" I called over my shoulder, about five minutes later as we stepped onto the porch.

"Sure, sure..."

**Melissa's POV (3 hours later)**

I'd woken up at some point in the afternoon. Well, evening I guess. ...Or night. I couldn't decide. I was pretty certain that orange-y light outside the window symbolized dusk, but who knows? I was beginning to get used to unexpected things.

I yawned and reclined back on the couch, where I'd been fast asleep for a while. I didn't know how long, but the crick in my neck told me at least an hour. But Lex and Daley were the only two who wore watches.

I glanced over, trying to spot them in the hazy light, and I saw them curled up together in an arm chair, a blanket thrown over them. Huh, so I guess I didn't want to bother them...

On the other hand, I really had to go to the bathroom and if it was too late I'd feel bad about waking up someone to take me. I didn't feel quite comfortable with going alone...

This whole place was uncharted territory, after all.

I swung my legs off the couch and meandered around everyone, trying to see if anyone was awake now. I saw Daniel, sleeping against the wall (which couldn't be comfortable), and Captain Russell, who was hand-cuffed to a chair.

Since when did we have hand cuffs?

I didn't want to know...

Annika was leaned against the wall by Daniel, her head resting on his shoulder. I almost let out an oh-that-is-_so_-cute sound, but decided against it. I didn't want to wake anyone.

Chloe, Kelli, and Mandy were sprawled out on sleeping bags in their own corner of the room and were all fast asleep, unfortunately (well, fortunately for them).

Nathan and Eric were also lying on sleeping bags, a little away from the three girls, and Jackson was sleeping in another arm chair, still fully dressed, with his head tipped back. I grinned, shaking my head at him.

I picked up a blanket off the heap of stuff in another corner of the room and covered him with it. He seemed a little cold...

I did wonder why no one else but Ian and possibly Abby and Jory were sleeping in the bedrooms. I suppose the rest wanted the unity of it all, for safety, but Ian had needed a more comfortable resting place with his broken leg?

I shrugged to myself and just headed for the door, tip-toeing around the others. I had my hand on the door knob, glad to have not woken anyone, when I heard shifting and a sniff.

"Mel?" Jackson asked me, his voice betraying his tiredness.

"Yeah...?" I asked, very softly.

"Where are you going?" he questioned sleepily.

I glanced back, to see him looking at me with dazed blue eyes, his brown hair a mess. I chuckled quietly. He looked like a little boy right now, so innocent...

It was enough to make a normally weepy person cry, really.

"I have to use the restroom," I said, finally.

I was more than a little embarrassed about my reasoning. I didn't know why, but I was.

At least it wasn't quite my time of the month again yet...

That had been horrible, those first few days on the island. If things hadn't been stressful enough...

"Oh," he murmured, leaning back again.

A second later, almost on cue as I started to turn around, his eyes snapped open again. He stood up and quickly stumbled over, almost stepping on the three sleeping girls in his haste.

"Wait for me," he mumbled.

I just shook my head, smiling, and opened the door. He followed me out onto the porch, still in a daze.

"You can stay here if you want," I said softly, as I noted the indigo sky still had a touch of pink at the horizon.

I'd have enough light to find my way to-and-from. And unless it was truly dark, I should be safe. I mean, I knew it was no different—day or night—but in the day you could see who was coming at you, or what was.

Everyone must've been really tired if they'd gone to bed before it was dark.

"No, no," Jackson responded finally, shaking his head to further his point. "I'll walk you to the bathhouse and back."

I nodded briefly, and hopped down the steps. He followed, right at my heels.

_Now _this_ is embarrassing..._

As I walked out of the bathhouse (as Luke had originally called it—I would say outhouse with benefits), I spotted Jackson's silhouette up further by the house, waiting by a spruce. I'd wanted_ some_ privacy.

I gave him a short wave and started walking back, slowly. My feet were feeling like lead again. I needed some more sleep...

The night sky had started to get a smattering of starts by now, so as I walked I checked out the overhead constellations. Suddenly, bright orange light was to my side and I jumped.

Standing in the doorway, facing the interior, was Stephen. He was also shirtless.

I can say I only noticed this for one reason—which didn't include his spine or muscular physique. His whole back was patterned with scars: raised, ugly, almost silvery scars.

I felt bile literally rise in my throat and I felt like I might be sick. They went from the base of his neck down to the waistband of his pants, some of them at least.

What could have done something like that? How bad must the wounds have been? I'd had a three inch scratch on my thigh once, and it had healed to about an inch, after all...

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I know I should do that. But it's so messed..." he was saying, talking to someone in the house.

I started backing up and edging towards where Jackson was. I hadn't wanted to see that. Who did that? Who in their right mind would've hurt another person like that?

He froze, as I indorsed a common cliché. I stepped on a stick and it snapped.

Go me.

He turned halfway; his grayish eyes wide, his face devoid of emotion.

"...up," he finished, to whoever was inside. "Um, yeah, I used to...get into fights a lot...uh...bye," he stammered, then stepped into the house more and closed the door behind him, loudly.

I felt my heart hurt. Who was he kidding?

And why did he feel like he had to cover?

I just blinked at the closed door and then wandered back to Jackson, shaking my head as I did. I was halfway between disbelief and utter confusion and my brain was still trying to process everything. I almost felt like crying out of sympathy.

_I'm such a wimp..._

Jackson touched my arm as I came to his side. "Hey, you okay, Mel?" he asked me, leaning close to whisper.

If I was in a better mood, I'd have figuratively (or physically) swooned. I didn't, though.

"I guess," I murmured.

"What is it?" he asked.

I looked him in the eye. "Cody, did you ever get any scars fighting? Like, ones down your back?"

"No... Why...?" he asked, almost stammering, like Stephen had.

He was confused, though. Stephen had been scared and—ashamed, maybe? His eyes had been so wild...

"I'll tell you on the way back," I said finally, after a moment of deliberation.

Jackson needed to know. He was one of our leaders, after all.

I hoped Stephen wouldn't hate me for it. I didn't like making people dislike me...

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_A/N: Like? Hate? Love? Dislike? Wanna Disco dance? Tell me in a review! Or PM! Or email! Or telepathic connection!_

_...I take after my wacky family a bit too much...don't I? _


	13. Chapter 13: Storm Winds

_A/N: So, I was in Germany, Austria, and Italy for two weeks, then I gave myself a week to recuperate from jet lag, and now here I am! ...Anybody happy about that?_

_Sorry for taking so long to update, anyway. This chapter, which I just finished, isn't beta'd. Sorry for any mistakes._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything...pretty much nothing, honestly... No suing me please!_

_Oh, and I may be revamping the previous chapters, going through them with Beware of Dogs, until they're all fixed up, new, and shiny. You know, so things are less jumpy? Then we'll know what day it is. Big smiles for that, peeps! Lol._

_Read and review?_

_Oh, and sorry for the shorter-than-usual (filler) chapter, and, yeah, I know it's the thirteenth chapter and it should be SUPER scary, but it's more suspenseful than anything. _

_...By the way, any ideas for the name of the sequel? Oh, yeah, I'm already thinking of a sequel (I even have the last chapter of this written, ahead of the others). I can't help it, this won't last much longer...you'll see what I mean. ;D_

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_**Chapter Thirteen: Storm Winds**_

**Taylor's POV**

"This is just awkward," I informed Eric, as I tried to shift out of the view of the islanders.

They were _staring_. It was weird, too. I mean, I knew I was pretty, but why was I so interesting? Of course, I think they were taking turns, watching us in fascination like we were bugs under a microscope. Ugh.

"Don't worry about it, I think they're harmless," Eric commented, before shoving a large piece of fruit into his mouth.

I wrinkled my nose. How could someone do that? I mean, didn't they have any idea about table manners?

...Boys will be boys, though.

And, as far as the stinky level of his socks went, he wasn't one to worry about cleanliness, or anything like that.

"I guess, but it's still weird."

"At home you had the whole football team trying to look down your shirt, how is this different?"

Nathan choked on the water he was drinking and she smirked a little. Nathan...a Boy Scout through and through...

"No," Nathan said, perplexed, "I'm not a total pervert..."

Eric sniggered. "Pretend all you want, but you know at some point you tried..."

Daley was literally covering her ears, Taylor noticed. Denial...such a sad emotion...

"Moving along," Daley said, a little loudly.

Eric sighed and just reclined in his seat. "Okay, Red. Moving along to what?"

I chuckled at the annoyed look on Daley's face and she turned her glare on me. I squeaked and hid halfway behind Jackson, who was to my right.

Melissa was now also not looking very happy. Oops.

"That's enough," Jackson muttered.

He looked exhausted. Poor guy... I couldn't say I didn't look like a raccoon, though. My face was going to be a mess when we got home. Seriously, I'd like get acne or something soon. Yuck.

"So, how is everybody holding up?" Daniel asked, finally. It was pretty obvious that he felt out of the loop, Annika, too. They were adults and they figured they should be doing something, I think. But, well, it wasn't like they could do anything.

There was a chorus of "Fine's" and "Okay's", but no one really offered anything up. Daniel just rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the remains of the bonfire that had been blazing last night.

Bonfire...the word made me think cult, strangely enough. Maybe that was just because you had to be crazy in L.A. to start a fire. I mean, seriously...think about it.

"And how did Ian do last night?" Annika asked, a worried note to her voice as she looked at Jory and Ian, who had his head resting on Jory's shoulder.

Ian chuckled quietly. "I'm doing fine."

Annika nodded, giving him a sympathetic look.

"It's just a good thing it was set right..." she mused to herself.

"When will I be up and around, do you think?" Ian asked, curiously.

I just watched. I was too tired to be part of any conversations.

"Probably around six weeks," Annika said.

Ian groaned in frustration, looking put-out, but Jory rubbed his back. He calmed a little after that.

_Interesting couple...one has to hop along and one is...well..._

I almost blushed at my Taylor 1.0 thought. I was different now, somewhat, more like myself. I shouldn't be thinking nasty thoughts like that.

Oh, well. Nothing changes overnight, unless it's for the worst...

...I could dream, though, right?

I was broken out of that particularly Disney thought (cue vomiting) by Lex, who was tapping my shoulder.

"Hey, um, would you like to help me unpack stuff?" Lex asked, rather awkwardly.

I raised an eyebrow.

"I don't do work, Lex," I reminded him with a smirk.

"Yeah, um...there's just something I want to tell you about...because I'm not sure if I want to tell the others yet," he whispered.

I blinked in surprise. "I think it'd be better if you talked to Daley about...whatever."

I was no good with kids. I really wasn't. With my luck, I'd ruin him. Daley, even being her crazy self, would do better.

"Okay," Lex mumbled, before walking off.

What was that about?

"He has a crush or something?" Eric asked me, a moment later.

I glared down at him. Since when had he moved to sit at my feet?

"No. Of course not! He's_ eleven_." Can you say _gross_?

"When I was eleven..."

"...You were already a pervert," Nathan commented, still in the previous conversation.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

I groaned and just buried my face in my hands. Jackson chuckled beside me.

"I know, I think they're idiots, too. But I think that about almost everyone," he dead-panned, as I looked up between my fingers at him.

"Hey!" Abby exclaimed in outrage.

...Since when had _he_ gotten a sense of humor?

It was nice, anyway. But he_ did_ belong to Mel...

...I should have turned into a nice girl a while back. In the end, they got all the studs. Ask my mother—her first husband left her for some volunteer worker at an animal shelter.

Thank goodness that man _hadn't _been my Dad.

But, still. When it came to my Mom...maybe he'd been right, in some small way?

_Ugh._

I was _so _not thinking about this right now.

...I did miss my parents, though...very much.

I wasn't the only one, either...everyone here did. I think even Mel did, and she didn't like her parents much or _something_. She never talked about them...

**Daley's POV (2 Hours Later)**

"Hey," a quiet voice mused.

I jumped a little and whipped around. Mel, who had been working alongside me, sorting our stuff, and finding dirty clothes to wash, also had wide eyes. She'd been surprised, too.

"I, um, just wanted to say sorry for scary you...earlier..." I noted he was talking to Mel.

I immediately bristled.

"And how did you scare her?" I ask, bitingly, as I size up the guy in front of me.

...Tall, fairly muscled, black hair, tanned skin, dark eyes, hands rough-looking, and forearms a little scarred. He _screamed _danger.

I didn't like it. The way he held himself was defeated, though. I noticed that the first time I saw him... He was called Stephen, I think.

He rubbed the back of his neck, as Mel just continued to gawk at him. "Well, she saw something...and it might have made her worried. I just want to tell her...well... Can I have a word with her?"

I snorted and crossed my arms. "No."

"Daley!" Mel exclaims.

"You don't go out on a walk with strange men; even if movies tell you otherwise," I snap.

Stephen shrugged. "It's fine...I mean, you make sense."

He shot me a nervous grin. I didn't like it. Nervous meant unpredictable.

"Um," he continued, "just know how I got...you know, all...the marks... It's not going to happen again. You don't have to be worried about me, or anything... Or scared for your own safety..."

Stephen trailed off and cleared his throat. He didn't say anything else, though.

_He wouldn't be a good public speaker..._

"Okay," Mel said.

She didn't seem very convinced, though.

I was still left totally in the dark. But, I could always ask Mel later what was up...

"Uh, I guess I'll go, then. Luke wants me to check the border..."

Now that also piqued my interest.

"Why?" I ask.

He raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Why do you need to check the border?"

"To make sure that there aren't any breaks...?"

The way he said that... Ugh. I was probably reading way too much into this, but it was my job to be the pessimist.

"What would happen if there was a break?" I ask, eying him closely.

He doesn't respond, just stares at me.

Not a good response...

"I really need to go," he muses, starting to back up, heading for the door.

He'd changed the topic of the conversation...not good either...

"Have you ever seen large cats around here, with hooked fangs—brown ones, perhaps?" I ask, instead of responding to his deflection.

He freezes and his eyes snap up to mine.

He seems to have recognition written all over his face, but he just shrugs and his face goes blank. "I've seen some weird stuff, sure."

"That was vague."

"Well, maybe it'd be better if I was vague," he snaps, his voice going harsh for the first time since he started up this conversation with Mel and I.

"Why would that be?" Mel asked quietly, speaking up finally. "If there's something wrong..."

"There's nothing wrong," Stephen says (but his obvious nervousness makes _that_ hard to believe), and then quickly manages to get out the door before we can say anything else.

"That was odd," Mel says, as she stares at where he had been.

"I'll say. And how do boys always manage to just pop out of the woodwork like that?"

Mel shrugs and just goes back to work. She seems a tiny bit relieved, but I just have more questions.

**Melissa's POV (1 Hour and 30 Minutes Later)**

"He didn't threaten you?" Jackson asks me.

His jaw is tense and his arms are crossed tightly against his chest.

Maybe I should have left out that small bit of my day...

"No, he didn't threaten me, he just apologized. Weren't you listening? I had to go through the story about this morning three times with Daley," I mutter.

His mouth jumps a little, as if he's about to grin but doesn't. "Sorry. I just want to make sure you're safe."

"You just sounded like my Dad."

He blinks at me, unsure of whether or not that's a good thing.

"Never mind," I say quickly. "Anyway, how was your day?"

"Okay, I guess," he says, as he sits down on a flat-topped rock nearby and lies out.

I giggle at him and sit down on the grass a little ways away.

He glances over at me and does smile a little bit. "What's funny?"

"Nothing," I say, smiling.

"Alright then... I helped Eric and Taylor organize the food we'd had; ration it. That girl...the tiny one..."

"Alys," I supply.

"Right...the one hyped up enough to be the human variant of a hummingbird..." Jackson says, "She offered for us to put our food with the others', but Daniel told her no. I think he's afraid they plan to poison us."

I mock gasp.

"Oh the humanity," I say, in a joking way, of course.

Jackson chuckles, his eyes lighting up in _that _way—the way that happens when he's happy.

"Exactly my thoughts, but, hey, better safe than sorry, right?"

"Right," I respond.

"I'm glad they're letting us have a break now...you know, other than a lunch break..."

"You counted that as a break?"

"No..."

"Anyway, I think everything's done, personally," I say tiredly, reclining back against another boulder.

Those things were_ everywhere_. I wouldn't be surprised to learn a mountain exploded here, honestly.

Jacksin just hummed in response, closing his eyes and just basking in the sun, like the average teenage boy on a semi-tropical island with a patch of sun and a warmed up stone. It wouldn't have been surprising if we were just on a vacation, at the moment.

He was right. It was good to have a break.

I just hoped this wasn't the calm before a storm, in more ways than one. Looking up at the sky right now, I could see gray and darker gray clouds hanging on the horizon like a blanket tossed there, useless and weary-looking. I had the feeling once they hit the sky wouldn't seem _tired_.

I knew I probably should have jumped to my feet, dragged Jackson back to our new camp, and informed everyone who didn't already know a storm was on its way, that one was, but I just couldn't stand to ruin this moment.

The yellow-white light falling on both of us, as we sat in the middle of the small field by the last house in the camp, was certainly quite deceiving, to say the least.

**Jory's POV (3 Hours Later)**

"Jory," Abby muses, barely able to be heard over the knock-knock-knocking of a hammer hitting nails as Travis and Stephen work together (not very willingly, from how I saw Travis pitch a fit when Luke handed out that task) to lock up the shutters.

It was already almost night-dark outside, though, so it wasn't like it mattered—that was just a precaution if the storm got truly bad, well, according to Alys.

"Yes?" I answer finally, realizing I haven't responded.

I still feel exhausted. I guess because Ian hasn't been sleeping well for a while and I'm normally his nurse...

Abby glances up as Jackson, Eric, and Daley enter the room, to join Ian (who's fast asleep), Abby, and I. Melissa, Taylor, and Lex trail after them and we all pile into the room. I notice none of the "new" people are here, or Captain Russell.

...I still feel bad for the Captain.

And I worry when Abby stops talking as soon as the others walk in. Old alliances are most definitely still in play.

"I don't like this," Jackson mumbled, as he sat down.

"What are you all doing in here?" I ask, hesitantly.

I don't want them waking up Ian...

"We wanted to talk, as a group. Daniel, Annika, and the others agreed not to come in on us unless it's something important," Daley admits rather cheerfully, despite the circumstances. "Daniel said we have to review emergency procedure, though, afterwards. And tell him basically what happens..."

"Luke's emergency procedures," Jackson adds, looking put-off.

Melissa, his somewhat-girlfriend, rubs his back, in an obviously sympathetic way. I still wonder where she learned that from; the kindness. Her parents always seemed so standoffish to me.

"What?" Eric asks after a moment, smirking at Jackson. "You don't like old Blondie? I mean, he's a tad bit insane but..."

"I just don't like him. I don't trust him."

"Why? I mean, other than the fact I feel like we're in a B-rated horror movie about now... Of course, they probably don't have chain-saws or hockey masks here..." Eric is still smirking.

I just gawk at him. How could he say something like that? How rude!

"I think they're all pretty nice," Abby comments, tucking in her legs. I give her a grateful smile.

Jackson just scoffs. "That big one, Stephen, scared Melissa and Daley, both of them, today, and Luke is off his rocker, I think. I heard him talking to himself."

"...About what?" Taylor asks.

"What?" Nathan and Lex both ask; their voices pretty much drowning out Taylor's question.

Daley groans. "Jackson, he didn't scare us...he acted like he was scared of us, if anything. He was just confusing is all..."

"He was hurt by something, anyway."

Melissa sighs and just drops her head into her hands, obviously having not wanted Jackson to say that. I could tell, somehow. Of course, they tended to be pretty obvious, the whole lot of them. Plus, I'd seen my fair share of teenage drama...

"Maybe he was hurt by Mister Overgrown Housecat?" Eric suggests.

"No, just stop talking about him...gossiping isn't nice, you know," Mel says, and she elbows Jackson.

I was right...sadly enough.

"When have we ever cared about that?" Taylor puts in.

Lex finally whistles, quietly at least, and I almost sigh in relief. They were starting to get loud.

"...Guys! Can we just talk about what we came here to talk about—our plans?"

"Do we even have plans?" Abby asks in a monotone.

I look at her in surprise and she just shrugs.

"Of course we do, we plan to stay here, set up house, and relax until we get saved...again," Eric mutters.

"Well, I can't exactly agree with you on that, but we'll be staying here until this storm rides over, at least," Daley says. "Everyone but Ian, Abby, Eric, and Jory will be sleeping in the main room, anyway. I don't want to separate anyone, but at least this way we'll be in large enough groups to defend ourselves, if worst comes to worst."

"Why do I have to sleep in here?" Eric asks in annoyance.

I huff. "Because, we have an invalid and two girls in here; we need a guy."

"No we don't," Abby grumbles.

"I think we do," I respond carefully.

She sighs. "If it would make you feel better..."

"Knock, knock?"

We all seem to jump. I may have let out a tiny shriek, too, but...

Daniel grins at us. "...Time to get settled down?"

"Yeah, I think so," Jackson muses, rubbing at his face wearily.

"Good," Daniel says.

Lex raises his hand.

"Yes?" Daniel asks tiredly.

"What if there's a hurricane?" Lex asks meekly.

I feel bad for him, too...

"There's a cellar," Daniel informs him, "in the kitchen."

"Oh, that's good," Lex says, and then yawns.

Daley ruffles his hair and then gets up.

Everyone piles out except Jackson, Taylor, and our new "roommate" Eric.

"So, what was he talking about?" Taylor asks Jackson. "Was he talking to a pretend person?"

"No, he was muttering something about a "silver bird"."

"Maybe he'd never seen a plane before?" Abby asks, breaking into the conversation.

I stay silent.

"He didn't seem surprised to see us," Jackson comments.

I blink and just watch as Eric lights a lamp, as Travis closes up the last window in the room. He gives us a small smile, before his face leaves from view.

I still have a bad feeling about this place, like something's wrong. But I don't think it has anything to do with the people, though.


	14. Chapter 14: Wake Up

_A/N: Hello, people. *waves and looks nervous* Now I know I said I was just going to sleep off the jet-lag and get back to this...um, yeah, sorry for not doing so. Of course, that's probably also because I'm rewritten this about four times. I just couldn't make it right and I still can't get it quite right. I hope you enjoy it, though. I will be going through and revising everything—maybe not my previous notes—and maybe let someone really read through it, someone who won't just be nice to me. *laughs* Yeah...and I probably should learn to take criticism better. Anyway, if you have any ideas or comments, I'd really love them. Just review at the end or PM me, if you'd like to say anything. ...So, yeah..._

_I hope you like this. *crosses fingers* I just know if I don't post it, I'll revise and revise until you all poof on me and nobody will ever review because Flight 29 Down will have become Are You Afraid of the Dark?, which I'm pretty sure you can't even watch anymore. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my morbid imagination._

_Warning: The T-rating shall come into play more so in the next few chapters and this will probably stop at twenty chapters, but I may write a sequel if I feel like it/you really want me to. Implications may be made and violence/blood/gore may abound. Luckily, I'm not known to swear much (I'll be editing out my starred out bad words in the previous chapters, I think, because they're pointless). _

**Chapter 14: Wake Up**

_Jackson's Point of View_

"Jackson...come on, wake up..."

I hear the voice, so soft and honey-like it makes me think of a voice that I'd heard when I was a kid, before the years of smoking finally turned it harsh.

"Huh?"

I blink open my eyes only to see Melissa's smiling face, pretty even if it is sideways to me. "Hey, Cody," she whispers. "Everybody's all up except you."

I sit up in surprise and almost manage to bash her in the face at the quick movement. I immediately flop back, feeling bad.

I've never been a good morning person. "Uh, sorry," I say, about the not waking up thing and the almost hitting her in the head thing.

"Don't worry about it," she says, and just sits back on her legs, brushing a bit of hair out of her face.

I nod briefly and try to sit up again, managing not to almost give anyone black eyes, thank goodness.

"Oh, man, you got him to wake up. I was all for dumping water all over him."

I narrow my eyes into slits and glare at Eric, who had just opened the door, loudly, and walked in.

"Wow, somebody's grumpy," he comments, while righting his hat.

"That would have made his sleeping bag smell like stinky socks," Melissa says, a grossed out look on her face.

I can't help but grin a bit at the expression.

"Yeah, but then people would hate him just as much as me because he smells!" Eric announces.

I chuckle then. He shoots me a surprised look as I haul myself up and immediately dashes away like a startled rabbit.

"I think you may have scared him," Mel comments as I search around for my jacket, which I was sure I'd laid around somewhere...

"Aha!" I exclaim, before toning down and responding. "Maybe...but he deserves it..."

"I guess," she says in response and I see her shoulders rise as I duck down.

I grab the gray hoodie and slip it on quickly and I about feel the goose-bumps that that had been forming on my arms smoothing away as I warm up.

I glance back at Mel, catching her as she's braiding her hair again. I like it like that, but it makes her look so childish...and it makes me feel really bad about the fact I like her, being the bad guy I am. She deserves better and I bet that's what her Dad will say when we get home while he's loading his shotgun.

...Or preparing his sword. Was it bad I couldn't imagine an Asian guy with a gun like the average hillbilly or wannabe gangster?

_...Probably..._

"So, what do you plan on doing today?" Melissa asks quietly, as she continues twining her hair together.

I swallow and look down, too caught up with the fact her bra was showing slightly because her shirt was crooked.

Yeah, I'd attempted to keep that out of my thoughts...

"Uh, I dunno whatever Daley asks I guess and Lex wanted to talk to me about something." I shrug. "I also wanted to talk to Travis, since he seems saner than the rest of the people around here. And we should probably make friends with our rescuers because we need them on our side if something goes down..."

Melissa starts laughing and I trail off, face heating slightly. "What?"

"No time for _us_, then?"

I'm pretty sure the tips of my ears have gone red and I hurriedly put up my hood.

Needless to say, I'd never really had a girlfriend. ...Yeah, really. I know, pathetic-but it's hard finding a girl who doesn't just see you as the scrawny white kid down the street where I'd lived. They'd all thought I thought I was somehow better than them...

I never had, though.

But, oh well, that just meant this would be more important...whatever this was.

"I'm sure I could make time," I say, finally. "And I could probably use your help. You know, as to not make any of the people here run for the hills in terror."

"You're not that scary, Jackson. Now come on, before you start your epic speeches and such, you need some food in your stomach."

I nod slightly at her and run my hands through my probably crazy-looking hair. "Of course," I murmur, silently wondering what made her call me Cody and what made her call me Jackson.

_Daley's Point of View_

"Daley?" I about jump out of my skin at the voice behind me my hand flying to my heart as I whirl about, turning away from the clothes I'd been sorting through. I turn to see Jackson, who is as wide-eyed as me.

"What?" he asks in surprise.

I just smack him upside the head, and then sit back down to sew up a hole in one of Nathan's shirts.

"Ouch," he mutters unhappily, though he's looking at me like I _amuse _him. _Idiot boys!_ "May I ask what that was for?"

"For scaring me, obviously," I respond.

"Ah."

"I don't have all day-what is it?" I ask finally, as I turn the needle through the thin cotton.

"I was just wondering what you wanted me to do."

"I don't really care," I say, brushing my hair out of my face.

"What?"

I glance up and frown. "Why so shocked?"

"You _always_ have wanted me to do something."

"You just sounded like Eric did earlier," I say, grinning a bit.

He shakes his head. "Well, that can't be good. But, really, Daley, you do always want us to stay on top of things. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I say, looking out at the houses; shutters undone now, the blown over plants sprawled across the dirt stretch, and the goats that Alys still hadn't managed to gather up munching on whatever they could find.

I think Alys needed a break, she looked like she was about to faint, anyway. Maybe if she didn't wear such thick clothes she wouldn't look like she was burning up.

Of course, it was a little cool out about now, the storm leaving the island cooler and, well, dripping with water. I had purposely sat away from any hanging branches because of that.

I feel Jackson still staring at me and look up to see him with his arms crossed, his Superman position. Okay, that had been a joke. But I needed something to laugh at.

"Then why are you the only one working and why are we doing nothing? If there are people here, the mainland can't be far off, you know that. They couldn't have gotten here otherwise."

"Unless they were on a plane," I inform him.

He shakes his head, "I don't think any of them were."

"How could you know?"

"I can't," he admits.

"Then go talk to them and ask what you can do to help them. We're their guests for now and until we have our own space, Jackson, what can we really do? Would you like someone coming into your house and moving around your stuff?"

"I don't have my own house back home."

I wince. "Well, okay...but you get the idea right?"

I watch as he runs his hands through his hair and just noses a rock away with his right foot. "Yes," he says, finally, through partially clenched teeth.

"Now shoo. I need to get this done and you're blocking my light.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?" Lex exclaims, from where he's working on the solar panel he'd been holding on to a little ways away.

He must have heard my last comment. But I don't really mind if he were eves dropping or whatever; the stunned expression on Jackson's face as he twisted around, trying to catch sight of Lex, was just so funny.

Nathan comes around behind him and I grin at my sort of boyfriend. He sits down beside me, looking over my shoulder at my work, before glancing up at Jackson.

"Why are you so jumpy, Jackson?" he questions curiously, before passing me a plate. I put down my stuff, thumb sore from sticking it with the needle so many times, and dig in.

I barely hear Jackson's "I don't know" as I focus on my own thoughts. Why was I was out of it? I wasn't sure. I'd told him a good reason, but I honestly just didn't know. I guess I'd tried so hard the first time around and everything had gone wrong and now it just didn't seem worth it anymore. That was as close as I could get to what was floating around in my head; a flash of something that told me to stay put and not butt heads with the people here.

It may have to do with that skeleton we'd found, as well.

"...Hey, Nathan...?" I ask a second later and my boyfriend jumps. I realize my food is gone, along with Jackson, and I wonder how much time as gone by.

"Yes, Daley, what is it?" he asks in a jokey tone, shifting farther down the log and hopping to the next so he's across from me.

I almost let out a girlish giggle at him acting more childish than Lex, but I don't.

"Where's Abby?"

"Huh?"

"I didn't see her at breakfast..."

_Lex's Point of View (20 Minutes Later)_

"So your name is really Remus?" I ask curiously, as I look up at the slight, tanned-skin man beside me. I'd finally taken the solar panel to the guy who Luke claimed was the best with machinery.

I'd gotten half of it working so far, but it kept cutting off when I tried to charge Jackson's MP3 player. So I'd had to go, something I didn't really want to do, especially since now Daley was watching me like a hawk.

I mean, he wasn't that scary.

But I supposed that was beside the point, since he was still twice my size.

"Yeah, of course," Remus mumbled, as he fiddled with something in the interior of it, "most people call me Rem, though."

I nod. "That was an interesting choice your mother made, though, by calling you Remus. That's the name of the brother of the guy who supposedly built Rome, after all, if I remember Roman mythology right."

"My mother wasn't very normal," Remus said with a frown. His face went back to normal a second later, though, and he handed me back the machine.

I spot something dark rust-colored on his sleeve then. "Is that blood? You didn't cut yourself, right?"

He pulls back almost automatically and stands up. "Probably," he mumbles, "I need to go check on Elli. I'll see you later, maybe."

I watch as he walks off, his movements odd in my opinion; gait weird, or something. Or maybe it's just the fact he isn't swinging his arms like a normal person, but has then clenched at his sides.

"I wouldn't suggest hanging around him."

I turn around to see Travis, only about a foot behind me.

"...Um, why...?" I ask.

"He's one of them," Travis growls softly, "and you can't trust them."

"Excuse me?"

"Lex, come back over here!" Daley calls.

I glance over and see her eyes narrowed. I gulp.

"Bye," I say to Travis quickly.

He just nods. I take in the fact his eyes are weirdly steely as he glances back in the direction Rem walked in.

I scurry away quickly, Jackson's MP3 player and the solar panel in my hands.

I was beginning to see why Daley didn't want me hanging around the people who lived there. They were all _weird_.

_Jackson's Point of View_

Okay, my life was officially getting extremely confusing. I'd been wandering around for about fifteen minutes trying to find Luke, who had been just there talking to Lex, and I could not find him.

It was getting wholly annoying.

Maybe I'll just find that Stephen guy...I can tell him to stop hanging around Mel, who is...close to me, and ask him what I can do at the same time...even if that is unorthodox...

I yelp as my heel rolls and I glare down at the brick-sized rock. I look closer when I notice scratch marks, repeats of the number one, all over it. Weird...

"Jackson, you really don't need to cross that."

I hear a giggle and just hunch my shoulders, before glancing up into the tree. There she was, the girl who had led me to Luke in the first place. She was sitting on a tree branch, smiling down at me. The wind blew another, slimmer branch right through her.

I clench my teeth together and try not to quake in my boots. Of course, I wasn't wearing boots but... You get the idea.

"...And why not?" I ask, harshly as possible.

I never had liked being told what to do, at least if I wasn't in the helpful mood. And seeing ghouls put me in a bad mood.

"Because one of you already wandered off as it is and they can't rescue everyone, I would know," she murmurs sadly. "All those people on that little cruise ship would know, too. It looks haunted, now, like one of the boats in a Scooby Doo cartoon. It's creepy."

"What?" I ask, internally freaking out as I try to muddle through what she's saying.

"Oh, never mind," she says breezily, before she jumps down neatly. "You know about it anyway. You remember that lion you saw?"

"Yeah, sure-things that _try to eat me_ I tend to remember."

"Well, that was a little one," she whispers. "And that's just an animal. Oh, and don't me get started on the other monsters-they're _smarter_, you know."

I step away from the stone line, moving closer to her.

"What are you talking about?" I ask and I try to send a hand through her, but she backs up, still smiling.

"Ask Stephen about me when you see him next. He was my _boyfriend_."

She giggles again and then takes off.

"Wait, come back! I need to know what the heck you're talking about and who the heck is lost!" I nearly scream after her, but she keeps running.

I growl and bolt after her, running as fast as I can as she darts between trees as nimble as a deer.

_Bloody heck! How is she so fast? _I wonder, as I pelt after her.

Suddenly, I lose track of her. I glance around in all directions, trying to spot her again, but I realize with a pulse of anger that she's just gone.

I hiss and kick at the nearest tree—which doesn't help anything, actually. But I'm still as lost as ever and I hate it; I need answers! And she just wouldn't give them to me. She just left me with more questions than ever. At least I wasn't as angry as I'd been before?

Wait, no, I was still as angry as ever. I needed to know who was gone. Of course, maybe I could go through it on my own. I look around, still worried about phantoms and wacked cats, before leaning back against my punching-bag tree and closing my eyes.

I think about the morning: Melissa, Daley, Nathan, Lex, and Eric. Those were all the people I'd seen before I'd wandered off. Their faces flicker through my memory and then I come to one of those bone-chilling realizations. Mine was the fact it could be anyone, because I hadn't been fulfilling my duty—I hadn't kept an eye on everyone, I'd gone off on my own to just do something to clear my head and now someone, according to a ghost girl, was missing.

Of course, could you really go by the word of a ghoul?

I sigh and rub my hands over my face, before opening my eyes. Seeing a face barely a foot from my own shouldn't have been surprising after seeing that girl, but it was.

I swore, loudly—going against Daley's law of no-swearing-because-of-Lex (unfortunately)—and just stared back into the gray-blue eyes in front of me. It felt sort of like I was a mouse watching a snake, but that couldn't be right—since this dude was way slighter than me and shorter. I would be the snake, right? I still felt stuck, though.

"I think we should have a talk," Luke suggested quietly.

I can only gulp.

_Eric's Point of View_

"Do I really have to come with you?" Chloe asked; her voice meeker than before but still as annoying as ever.

Sure, she was hot, but _still_.

"Yes, we're making sure everyone is together. Daley sort of had a panic attack, remember?"

"She didn't have a panic attack, she just said we should get together so we can talk to the main people here; get the full story by nighttime."

"Wishy-washy women," I muttered to myself, but I was glad we were doing something, even if I didn't show it.

I'd wanted off the last rock with way more obviousness than the others and I wanted off this rock just as much. I'd try not to show it as much, though, maybe. I didn't want it held over my head, after all.

Everything was held over your head—especially when you were in high school.

Man, I can't even imagine how much make-up work I'll have to do when we get back! If we get back, I mean.

I grimace and just swat at a branch that had come into my view. "How many people were gathered up?"

"The cripple, the fat girl, the darker-haired Asian, Red, Afro-man, and the blonde, I think," Chloe responded.

That was it!

I whirl around and give her a light shove, even if I knew she was a girl—after all, I hadn't done it to hurt, just surprise, so it was okay, right? She stumbled back and just looked at me with big eyes.

"Don't you dare talk about my friends like that," I hiss, "if you hate people like us so much or whatever, why did you even become a search and rescue person."

"I didn't exactly want the job. I'm a college kid. I was just taken along for the ride, to see how it works!" she snarled. "And now I'm seeing things that aren't there. I've gone barking mad!"

I stare at her for the longest time, as she lets out a little gasp and puts a hand over her mouth.

"You're seeing things?" I ask, not really meaning for my voice to be so quiet.

"Yeah," she mumbles, "not often, but..."

I nod and just pat her shoulder, as lightly as possible. "...Yeah, um, I'm sorry for shoving you. But, still, there's no excuse for saying things like that..."

"Sorry."

I nod. "So, Taylor, Lex, Daley, Nathan, Melissa, Ian, and Jory were all gathered up?"

"And Captain Russell, Daniel, Annika," Chloe informed me, "Kelli and Mandy were still inside the house. They said they wanted to tidy up or something. I think they just wanted to look pretty." Chloe rolled her eyes at that, and then gave me a meek smile, which I returned hesitantly.

So, she was a little crazy. But at least I knew why now. And I'd learned to be, well, nicer. Plus I was just too tired to really argue or get into it right now.

Yeah, I was sort of hanging onto that factoid for later, but I had perfectly good reasons!

"So, we're still missing Jackson and Abby?"

"...Yup."

"...This is awkward."

"I know, let's just keep looking."

I nod quickly in agreement, glad to be doing anything but talking. Talking wasn't one of my strong points. Well, it was—but I was too clever for my own good and I tended to say nasty things when I opened my mouth.

Silence would be nice for a little while, though, too. And it was kind of amazing that it was quiet even though I was with a girl—woman.

Heck, maybe Chloe was a little saner than Daley, Melissa, or Taylor. I mean they just couldn't shut up. Not that I...

Yeah. I'm giving up now...

_A/N: I know, I know...horrible ending. But I'd have continued this for another 4,000 words and nobody needs that. You definitely can't read all that in one sitting! So, yes, this is sort of filler—again—but I promise I will get some actions and some relationships started in the next chapter! ...Maybe. And introduce Dammar if I haven't already, because he wants to have some lines. He's not happy with just being a genocidal maniac in a fantasy novel, no...he has to meet up with the Flight 29 Down people..._

_*coughs* Yeah..._

_And sorry for the formatting problems. I'm not sure if I fixed them all, but...yeah..._

_Expect: Abby meeting a smart critter, Stephen wielding a sword (someday when/if I write a frilly romance novel, fan-girls all over the world will squee at that sentence—the horror!), Jackson and Luke having a talk, and you may start understanding some stuff. Oh, and Jackson and Melissa will somehow act cute. It's been deemed highly important that that happens, even if someone is being eaten while it happens. *poker face cracks* I was joking! _

_...Hope you enjoyed...next chapter will be posted by the New Year. And if it's not feel free to send me hate mail. It may be the only thing to make me write again after NaNoWriMo...evil NaNoWriMo...it killed my muse!_

_By the way, does it scare anyone else that 2012 will be the Year of the Dragon? Or is that just me? I know it's year after next year, but still..._


	15. Chapter 15: Saved

_A/N: This may be my least favorite chapter. Why? I'm wonky in the head about now, so it can't be helped. I hope you enjoy it more than me. It was fun to write, but a headache to edit. ...Yeah... So, all in all, just tell me if the flow is okay and if Luke and Jackson don't act too strangely. It's meant to be weird, but, yeah._

_Actually, this whole thing is meant to be weird._

_Well, that explains about everything._

_Never mind then!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flight 29 Down. ...Really... I promise. If I did, things would be a lot different—sort of if I owned Alex, the dude who reads and comments on "Twilight" hilariously in a British accent. I don't own him either. _

_Oh, and, dear readers—I hope I updated quick enough for your tastes and I did not disappoint. Plus, if you're interested, I'm once again working on a few novels. Feel free to check those out. I normally put them up (at some point) on my fictionpress account of the same name._

_Oh, and I need an idea for a short story. ...Yeah... Otherwise I'll be writing it on a junkyard upkeep guy who finds a magical silver box while dodging giant rats and ends up in a medieval village. Or maybe you'd like that? *shrugs* I'm horrible at guessing what people would like, however._

_P.S. To my anon reviewer who had some prompts floating in his or her head—Anonymous14—any suggestions would be amazing! I've wanted to write something more, uh, well, romantic; so that would be awesome. ...Yeah._

_EDITED: To fix a few typos I noticed._

**Chapter Fifteen: Saved**

_Jackson's Point of View_

I watched, just keeping the silence as Luke paced in front of me. His hands jerked at his sides and he seemed unsure of what to do, or say, so I finally decided to speak up.

"Are you okay, man?" I ask.

It definitely was not the best question or the one I really felt like asking, but, well, I probably should act nice, or he might punch me. Normally, I would assume I could take the slim blond in a fight, same as I knew I could whoop Eric or Nathan (not that I would), but he seemed sort of crazy.

Druggies, drunks, and crazy people weren't the sort you wanted to fight. After all, while you were level-headed and you probably didn't really want to hurt someone, they would probably seriously hurt you without feeling too bad about it.

Take some of my Mom's previous boyfriends and several of my insane meth-head neighbors, for example. I wouldn't want to get in a fight with any of those freaks and if it was going to happen no matter what I did, I'd keep an eye out for getting a glass bottle smashed over my head.

Of course, I don't think Luke was _that _crazy. Just a little touched.

Still, knowing what a person's limits were was always good, among other things. I didn't know him well enough to judge.

"I'm fine," Luke mumbled after that moment, breaking me out of my ponderous thoughts (and, yes, I do know what that means—surprise).

"You seem kind of upset about something," I insist.

"You can say that again, but comparatively I'm fine. You know, if I compared what's going on now to all the other stuff I've had to deal with," he hissed lowly, still pacing like a caged tiger.

I just stare, unsure of how to respond to that. It sounded like something I would say to get people to leave me alone. It almost worked, but I knew for a fact when I said that I really wanted someone to _care_ enough to probe a bit more, ask me what was up or what had been up, or something like that.

Yeah, cliché and totally chick-worthy, but, hey, I was a lonely son-of-a-gun. You try living in a world that's rules are constantly changing and try not to become absolutely pitiful.

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask finally, not wanting my group to have to move so soon.

I had the bad feeling this was all about him seeing me talking to myself (assuming that the ghost girl was a figment of my imagination).

_He probably did see that. No wonder he's so freaked out. I'd be freaked out. And wasn't I just thinking of how to deal with crazies?_

I frown.

Yeah, I'd be the crazy one, wouldn't I? Such a hypocrite, aren't I?

"No," Luke muttered finally, but he stopped and just watched me for a minute. "So, I guess you met Emily, huh?"

* * *

_Nathan's Point of View_

"Is it just me or does this seem seriously weird to you?" Taylor questioned, glancing over at me.

I shrug, unsure of how to answer that.

"I mean, Eric volunteered, didn't he?" Taylor asked, tacking on another inquiry.

"I sort of suggested it," Daley said. "He was with Abby and Jackson when they went to look for the others."

"Aka Ian, Bob, and I," Jory mumbled from where she sat across the way. "I just wish Abby would learn to stop wandering off."

It was needless to say I felt sympathy for Jory. After all, I knew how she felt. When Melissa—my best friend—had gone off to search for the others, I'd been stunned, hurt, and worried. And, about the hurt thing, well, it sort of felt that she'd picked Jackson over me. It still did (a little), but I'd picked Daley over her a few times, hadn't I?

I couldn't remember doing it, but I must've.

It was so much easier before we were old enough to want to date and before we started dating.

"It's still weird," Taylor mumbled.

"I agree," I say, shaking my head.

"It's as weird as you thinking I liked football," Taylor said.

"Yeah, that was pretty odd," I agree, about laughing—but then I realize our situation once again. We'd survived a big storm and were now missing two of our people.

_But we have to laugh sometimes, or we'll lose everything._

"Luckily, everyone knows I'm totally competitive—football for the win," Daley said, before cuddling up closer to me. I smile down at her, ignoring Taylor rolling her eyes and saying she was never going to get a man.

"Again, what have you done with my sister?" Lex exclaimed, only for Daley to throw back her head and laugh. "And seriously, that's just gross, guys. Honestly!"

I let out a small chuckle, allowing myself that. "Don't worry, Lex. It's not like we're kissing or anything."

"You've_ kissed_ her?"

* * *

_Melissa's Point of View_

_Note to self: humans will always try to make things trivial to protect themselves. Oh, and fathers and brothers go totally murderous when the words "daughter", "date", and "boy" are aligned—or if anything in that train of thought is mentioned. Well, normally..._I think; only to shake my own head as Lex, Daley, and Nathan get into a mini-argument. Ian makes a gesture with his hand like he's pretending to shoot himself and I let out a small giggle without thinking when Jory swats at him.

I glance over my shoulder in the direction of the woods, worry clawing at my chest. I hate it, feeling like I'm being pulled around like a marionette, but what can I do? It's what you allow if you actually get feelings for someone, or I suppose so.

_Please don't let yourself get hurt, Jackson. And come back soon. And the same goes for you, Abby, even if you are a psycho girl who pitted us against each other._

I immediately grimace.

_Please God don't hold that against me. It is sort of the truth..._

_

* * *

_

_Abby's Point of View_

Okay, so I know it was sort of pitiful that I kept wandering off. But, well, I'd never liked pressure. Sure, I'd done tons of stuff in school—joined clubs, anything extra—so I'd be able to get into a good school, eventually. But now that didn't matter and, well, everything was sort of crashing down around me. Of course, ever since the first plane crash had happened things had been falling apart.

I'd been normal at first, been usual old helpful me and trailed after Captain Russell, Ian, and Jory—doing my normal routine of trying to be as responsible as possible. Then, after I'd become separated from the others and I'd been rescued, I'd had to play the martyr and go out again. I should have known that was stupid.

Going out again changed me more than I liked to think about and I'd lost something, something I wasn't sure I could get back.

All in all, it had made me abrasive and bitter and turned me into some sort of loner. I'd never wanted to be like that and watching as I alienated everyone in replays of my memories, something I'd done without a thought—it crushed me.

And, yet, I was considered stronger than ever. And here I thought that something broken and glued back together would be weaker. I think it was, actually.

All in all, this added up to my current state.

And my current state was sort of pitiful in itself.

I was walking steadily, weaving in between these rocks just for the heck of it, and feeling sorry for myself.

At least I'd gotten a little more grasp on who exactly I was, though, even if it was, weirdly enough, completely exhausting. Who knew that thoughts could be so tiring?

I just decide it's time for a break and sit down. I hadn't been expecting anything as I walked over to the boulder, just a little past the odd row of rocks.

I just looked around the clearing, taking note of the towering live oaks with their draping Spanish moss, much like elegant older women with feather boas wrapped around their shoulders, and how the sunlight cut through the clouds and through their branches.

It was so beautiful.

I ignored everything else as I took in the sights and felt the warmth of the rock beneath me, even if its mossy-surface was damp from last night's rain. I could hear a brook somewhere and it just calmed me more. My mind went practically blank.

* * *

_Jackson's Point of View_

Now that simple question was enough to stop me dead, definitely. I could only continue to stare at Luke, eyes wide as an owl's most likely.

"You know; that pretty brunette you were having a talk with?" Luke tacked on. "The one who is partially translucent—that one—you remember her, don't you?

I could only gulp. And lie. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The next thing I knew I was shoved back against the tree.

"Hey!" I shove back, but the bugger's freakishly sturdy for his size and he doesn't move an inch.

"Stop lying, _Cody _Jackson. It won't help you here, _any_."

* * *

_Eric's Point of View_

"...Anything?" Jory asked me, the second I stepped into camp.

I felt like hitting myself. The answer would seem obvious.

"We didn't find them," Chloe answered briefly, "I'm sorry." And she actually sounded sorry.

_Progress!_

"You didn't even find a trace?" Taylor asked, in that questioning tone of hers.

I'd never liked that tone.

"We saw some footsteps, but they cut off..." Chloe admitted. I just shrugged, not wanting to get into it. I was tired.

"I don't like this," Nathan muttered.

I glanced at our own Boy Scout to find him pacing, wearing a hole in the ground. "You all right, man?"

"No, of course not—Stephen led Daniel and Daley out on some wild goose hunt to try and find the others."

I can't help but raise my hands in a peaceful gesture. He was acting like a peeved lion, after all. I wouldn't have been surprised if he did that whole lunge thing once again, like when he'd attacked me on the beach. And, yes, I do mean the _other_ beach.

_I thought bloody island hopping was for people in World War Two!_

"Wild goose chase," Annika corrected after a minute.

Nathan didn't seem too happy with the nurse lady after that. I would have laughed, if things weren't so tense.

"I'm sure Daniel will take good care of her. He's like a black G.I. Joe action figure, after all. You know, without the tiny, unusable flame thrower."

"G.I. Joes don't have flame throwers," Lex informed me.

I rolled my eyes. "And how do you know that?"

* * *

_Daley's Point of View_

Being out with two muscle-bound guys I didn't know well seemed like the sort of thing my Dad would have a panic attack about. Luckily, at the moment, I wasn't too worried about it. And, hey, I knew Daniel was trust-worthy—well, I believed so.

I just let out a sigh and brush some of my hair out of my face as I look ahead. Stephen and Daniel are hiking up a stony road and my legs are aching. I didn't mean to stop, though. It just happened.

I miss being competitive. Things seemed easier when I only thought about winning and didn't care about anything else. I knew it had nothing to do with energy and I probably hadn't just slept well, but I couldn't shake the feeling that had something to do with how useless I was becoming.

"Are you all right, Daley?"

"Yeah, Daniel; I'm just a little tired," I respond, feeling hopeless at that moment.

He gave me a certain sort of look, a calculating one. "How much have you drunk today?"

I rack my brain.

Had I not had anything to drink today?

I mean, honestly! How did something like that even happen?

Shouldn't I have felt thirsty at some point?

My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten much, either.

"I don't know."

"Let's take a break then."

He's down at my side in a minute, pulling out a water bottle.

"I'll go on. You two just do whatever," Stephen muttered, before turning off.

I glared after him, still not very pleased with him about the Melissa thing, before I take the water from Daniel.

Again, that was something my Dad would have flipped out about.

"It's amazing you've kept up so far," Daniel informed me, as I took a few quick gulps from his water bottle.

He sat down on a stone wall and I followed suit. He passed me a granola bar seconds later and I gladly took it, taken bites between sips of water.

"It's amazing Stephen is still going on, too. I must admit I'm dead tired, too. And it seems like we should have hit a beach by now with all the walking we've done."

I just hummed in agreement and bobbed my head in a nod, before finishing up the granola bar and handing him the wrapper.

Even if I should have been paranoid, it was nice to have an adult around, to say the least—calming.

* * *

_Abby's Point of View_

What caught my attention was a bush moving.

I had been feeling a little creepy-crawly in the last few minutes and now I knew why. I watched, waiting for another sign of movement.

I was cold, all of the sudden—the scene from The Sixth Sense popping into my mind instantly—no matter if the rock beneath me was warm.

My skin was crawling all the more, too. I didn't notice any more movement, but I was worried enough to keep going.

And I did—keep going that is. I moved, slowly, heading back carefully towards the border. I could recall the warnings now; alarm bells practically screeching in my head as I finally remembered.

I'd been an idiot.

This was the other's people's territory, wasn't it?

I'd overstepped my limits, obviously.

I felt a sensation like ice slide down my spine. I glanced back, but saw nothing of course. I gave a small sigh, but hurried up my step anyway.

* * *

_No, no—this is all wrong! And where the heck did that come from?_

I was facing a stone angel. It seemed new; its robe was unblemished, if just plain gray, and its face was serene. It held some sort of object I couldn't name in one hand and a sword in the other. Said sword was causing rainbows to bounce out onto the grass before it.

I couldn't recall anything but prisms or CDs that could do that.

Needless to say, that also set my teeth on edge.

And where was the border, anyway?

I glanced around, beginning to feel a little panicked. Nothing looked the same.

_Oh gosh, no. I can't be lost again! _

Did I just have the worst sense of direction possible for a human being? Or maybe I was just cursed. That seemed about logical now.

The high pitched whine that followed that collection of thoughts completely rattled me. I was turned around and staring into the eyes of the beast seconds later.

* * *

_Jackson's Point of View_

Well, that shook me.

"Cody Jackson? How do you know my name—both my names? Did Mel tell you something?" I'm up in his face this time, fists clenched. I needed some answers. It wasn't like I'd really hit him. I wanted to be a good person for Mel.

But I'd still intimidate people if I set my mind on it.

He seemed hardly phased, though. He was actually smiling as he played with the loose threads of his ancient overcoat, something I could only notice with him _right there_ in front of me.

"You're not going to hurt me," he said, sounding almost amused.

Well, that wasn't creepy _at all_.

I feel myself take a step back without thinking about it.

"And how would you know?"

"You don't want to upset your—what is she to you, exactly?"

"How do you even know that?" I'm yelling before I realize I just proved him right. I could have lied, thrown him off by not telling the truth—but no.

Of course, I wasn't the lying sort; unless you counted lies of ommission.

"I'd say girlfriend, by the vibes you throw off. Alys mentioned that."

I now have a distinct itch between my shoulder blades.

"Oh, I'm making you itchy?"

"What the freak, man?"

He rolled his eyes. "Must I spell it out for you? I can read your every thought."

"...The heck?"

He _must_ be a schizophrenic or _something_.

_But then how is he practically raiding your mind, moron?_

"You really shouldn't demean yourself like that. It takes most people a while to get used to it. Same with my age—people seem to like to believe I'm an adolescent male."

Maybe something had hit his (or my) head in the storm?

* * *

_Abby's Point of View_

Black eyes, pointed teeth, pale skin, wild black hair. She looked like a drug-addict woman that had decided to file her teeth to cat-like points.

To say the least, I'd probably never been so shocked in my life—or petrified. And by that, I meant I honestly couldn't move.

Well, that and I was scared enough to _about _mess up my pants.

"I'm sorry. I got lost. I'll be leaving now."

A deep growl seemed to come from somewhere within the lady and her vacant eyes just stayed on her face. She wasn't snarling anymore, though.

That was good.

I took notes of other things, how her clothes were in ruin and how she seemed to be bleeding a little, her shirt spotted with red.

I then finally managed to move, backing up and heading right—towards where I assumed the border was.

The next thing I knew, I was lying flat on my back; the left sleeve of my gray shirt in tatters. There were also nail marks across said arm.

And then I think I heard someone laughing.

I closed my eyes, shaking like a leaf, and wished that I hadn't been so stupid.

I finally try and climb to my feet, after nothing happens for a moment.

A high pitched shriek sends me to my knees, grasping at my ears. A blur flashes in the corner of my eye and I try to see it, but there's nothing to see. Even the crazy lady is gone. I'm relieved.

That doesn't last long. Seconds later, blood starts dripping down my hand. I glance down to just see two, clean slices.

My heart, of course, immediately starts beating heavily, trying to act as a sledgehammer to get out of my chest, it seems.

I just stand again, shaking, and wait to see what could possible happen next.

What could I do when it seemed like I was dealing with something I couldn't find words to explain?

_You're probably doing this to yourself—hurting yourself. You're probably just seeing things again._

That thought helped with_ nothing_.

* * *

_Jackson's Point of View (20 Minutes Later)_

"So, let me get this straight—you've been here since the Civil War, you can read minds, and we're on an island inhabited by fallen angels?"

"Pretty much," Luke replied agreeably.

"And Emily—Em, that ghost or whatnot I keep spotting, is Stephen's past girlfriend who was killed by one of the said fallen angels and decided to stick around?"

"Well, yes."

I can't help but laugh. I don't know why, since I'm not normally a person who does laugh, but it's just so absurd. "What are you _on_?"

Luke seems rather peeved about my reaction.

I imagine if I was mentally incompetent I'd be rather upset, too.

Of course, I sort of was—but at least I wasn't totally _buying it_.

"You are not insane; I am not insane. Why can't you get that through your thick skull?"

Luke reaches forward and I immediately back up. "Keep your hands to yourself, would you?"

He doesn't seem to like that reaction much, either. "I was just going to check and see if tapping your forehead makes the same sound as a ripe watermelon. Now, please would you just think about it for a second? I mean, honestly—you see her, too! And I'd count yourself lucky. I haven't seen her except for in Stephen's and Richard's thoughts."

"Why does she only go to guys—is she lonely or something?" I'm chuckling again.

I turn and start to walk off, done with this insanity. It would be better to just collect the wood I'd cut and go back to camp, before people had a panic attack and thought I was trapped with a broken leg or something.

Luke grumbles something behind me, but I ignore it.

I pause for a second, and then turn back to him. "What were you talking about, anyway, before; about the silver birds? I mean, it's obvious you're off your rocker—and we will be moving someplace else—but honestly?" I hadn't wanted to have to move, but something was wrong with these people.

He pales, and then pales_ further_; something I was certain the already fair-haired guy couldn't achieve. Or anyone for that matter. "You can't do that. It's not safe..."

"It's not safe to be around people who are crazy, either! I mean, honestly, how could you even believe you were a Civil War soldier?"

"I was one."

I shake my head. "No you weren't."

"Well, whether you believe me or not, you can find the bodies of all my comrades on the north shore," he hissed at me, something about him shifting almost automatically.

I didn't like it.

"And that makes me feel a lot better. Just leave me—and everyone else—alone."

He just shook his head and walked off, nearly disappearing into the greenery.

I frowned, as I shudder slipped down my spine, and I turn once more.

It isn't until I'm gathering up the wood I'd cut in my arms I realize he'd never fully answered my question. But it was no small matter. It wasn't like I could believe anything he said, now could I?

He was probably clinically insane, after all.

_Maybe once we're rescued he can get some help. _

It wasn't his fault, though. If I'd been stuck on an island for years, I'd go crazy, too.

I can't help but have a nagging suspicion, though. What explanations did I have for the saber-toothed feline, or Em, except for just telling myself I was going nuts?

_Don't even contemplate it._

_

* * *

_

_Daley's Point of View_

I'm up on my feet before Abby even clearly comes into view. I see tear stains on her face and that's enough.

I see Stephen's bulky form behind her, but I take little notice of him. I just rush forward and give Abby a hug, one she doesn't return.

Not that that's too surprising.

I pull away almost instantly and just look her over, one hand on her shoulder. Her arm is wrapped in what seems to be a ripped up shirt, her own shirt is torn and the ripped out seem from where her seam used to be is blood-edged. I gulp.

"What happened?" I then let my gaze latch onto Stephen. "Did you do something to her?"

"Why does everyone always assume it's me?" Stephen asked himself, muttering.

I then notice an odd thing; a very odd thing, actually—something to do with him, of course. "Are you carrying a sword; an _oil-covered_ sword?"

"More or less," he responded, shrugging his broad shoulders before walking ahead.

Daniel was now fussing over Abby at my side, his appearance sort of surprising, but I keep my sights on Stephen as he walks off, dragging a stone sword behind him like a caveman dragging a club.

He shot me a grin and just halted for a second. "Don't be so paranoid. I hardly see how it's bad I got a souvenir. And I could have picked worse."

I just stare, as he chuckles and continues his route. His eyes are dark, though—humorless.

It freaks me out.

Why had we decided to room with these people, again? Being on this island too long seemed to have caused them, ahem, issues.

"Abby, he didn't hurt you, did he?" I ask quietly, not looking at the girl.

"No, of course not; he saved me actually."

I turn to see an honest, open face. She doesn't look like herself; or, if she does, she looks more like her old self.

"Saved you from _what_?"

_A/N: So that's, um, all. So, on a scale of one to ten, how much do you want to throttle me for letting go of secrets in such an anti-climatic way? Oh, well, there's still plenty more abounding. I'll add some interest later._

_Or edit this. (Which I did.)_

_Depends..._

_Anyway, thanks again to my awesome reviewers. I shall list all who reviewed the last chapter here, since when someone names me it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling (or not, depending on what they're mentioning me for): _

_I3F29D: Thank you for taking the time to comment. My story now feels loved. See, it's blushing. (I couldn't help it. Sorry. But _thanks_!)_

_Anonymous14: Ah! I have found a fan of D.J.'s other works, awesome. See above Author's Note for more details._

_f29dwnaddict: As always, I'm glad you took the time to review, bud. I'm glad you like Emily (she'll continue to be important) and you're quite right about the Stephen thing. I sort of cut most of his bit out, though...oops..._

_Spottedness: I can guess who this is. ;) And thanks for your input, since you're the only person here who knows where all these extra characters come from—other than what I've said. You'll be happy to know I've sort of restarted the RP, too. With a new cast. And I am writing a book on Luke, Stephen, and Alys' adventures. Sh. Don't tell the others! Oh, wait... Anyway, I hope the snippet of Stephen met your tastes...and Dammar will come in next chapter. I hope._

_You know, I totally bet everyone was just jealous of Spotted then-awesome randomness. And now...adios... I'll see ya guys next time! And no I'm not Spanish, nor do I watch cartoons trying to teach Spanish children English..._

_...Yeah._

_Bye!_


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